§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the negotiations regarding securing Objective one status for western Wales and the valleys. [55596]
§ Mr. HainToday the Office for National Statistics announced GDP figures for all NUTS 2 regions of the United Kingdom. The figures for the West Wales and the Valleys NUTS 2 region make it very likely that it will qualify for Objective 1 status under the new EC regulations governing the Structural funds for 2000–06, assuming that the criterion for Objective 1 remains that an area should have GDP levels below 75 per cent. of the European Union average. The draft regulations are currently being considered by Member States. Negotiations are unlikely to be completed before the end of March next year.