HC Deb 29 January 1996 vol 270 cc512-4W
Mr. Hain

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much in(a) ecu and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European Thermie programmes and its predecessor programmes over the last available five years; [11662]

(2) how much in (a) ecu and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Thermie programme under the current financial perspectives. [11663]

Mr. Page

Payment from European expenditure programmes are not allocated to members states in the legislation supporting the programmes. The Thermie programme supports projects selected following an open call for proposals. It is not possible to predict the outcome of future calls, but in the last five years UK led projects have received:

Year kecu £ thousands1
1991 19,507 15,996
1992 21,111 17,311
1993 26,053 18,903
1994 37,250 30,545
1995 21,541 17,663
11 ecu = £0.82.

A breakdown of these figures on a regional basis is not available.

Mr. Hain

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Altener programme under the present structural funds agreement; [11667]

(2) how much in (a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European Altener programme and its predecessor programmes over the last available five-year period. [11666]

Mr. Page

The Altener programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community is not part of the structural funds. Payment from European expenditure programmes are not allocated to member states in the legislation supporting the programmes. The Altener programme started in 1993 and UK-led projects have received:

Year kecu £ thousand1
1993 272 223
1994 1,609 1,071
1995 2,101 1,723
11 ecu = £0.82.

A breakdown of these figures on a regional basis is not available.

Mr. Hain

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much in(a) ecu and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received from European Commission research and development programmes over the last available five years. [11668]

Mr. Taylor

Information on receipts for the European Union research and development programmes which have to be collected from the recipients is available only for 1993–94:

1993–94
Region £million MECU
South East 97.76 125.57
South West 36.06 46.32

1993–94
Region £million MECU
East Anglia 12.76 16.39
East Midlands 10.79 13.86
West Midlands 6.01 7.71
Yorkshire and Humberside 6.00 7.70
North 4.63 5 95
North-West 17.57 22.57
Wales 7.77 9.98
Scotland 17.26 22.17
Northern Ireland 5.40 6.93
UK Total 222.01 285.17

These totals do not include funds received by the non-profit sector or the new universities.

Mr. Hain

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much in(a) Ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Commission research and development programmes under the current financial perspectives. [11669]

Mr. Taylor

Payments from European Community expenditure programmes are not allocated to member states in the legislation supporting the programmes.

Framework programme IV, which runs from 1994–98, is the EU's main research and development programme. It supports collaborative research aimed at promoting industrial competitiveness and the quality of life. It has a budget of 13.1 billion ecu?approximately £10.9 billion. It is administered by the European Commission, which receives applications and manages the project selection process. The budget is not pre-allocated in any way among member states. Projects are selected on the basis of scientific excellence. UK researchers have participated strongly in successive framework programmes.

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