§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what submissions her Department has made to the European Commission concerning the review of funds available under objective 2 of European regional aid. [2167]
§ Mrs. RocheThe Government and local partners have been negotiating since August 1996 with the Commission on the programmes for grant in 12 European structural funds objective 2 areas in Britain for the period 1997–99. The Commission has now adopted the majority of these programmes and is likely to complete the remainder shortly.
For the period from 2000 onwards, the money available under objective 2 and the other objectives depends on Commission proposals for future financing of the EU and for reform of the structural funds. It is likely to put proposals forward after the completion of the Inter-Governmental conference. The Government have not put forward detailed submissions at this early stage, but we are looking for a package which is affordable, simpler and more efficient, and fair.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if the United Kingdom qualifies for contributions from the EU/EEC cohesion fund on the basis of (i) 1993, (ii) 1994, (iii) 1995 and (iv) 1996 gross domestic product figures. [2381]
§ Mrs. RocheNo. Article 2.1 of the Cohesion Fund Regulation restricts eligibility to member states with a per capita gross national product (GNP), measured in purchasing power parities (PPP), of less than 90 per cent. of the Community average and which have a programme leading to the fulfilment of the conditions of economic convergence referred to in Article 104c of the EC Treaty. The United Kingdom does not qualify: its per capita GNP (PPP) has been and is above this level.