§ Lord Brabazon of Taraasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ask the European Commission to amend Agenda 2000 to accommodate provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty, especially 158 and 159 (which relate to European Union islands), prior to the allocation of European Union structural funding for 2000–07. [HL475]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Simon of Highbury)The UK Government are discussing the reform of the Structural and Cohesion Funds with other member states and the Commission. We will continue to press for an outcome that gives a fair deal to all parts of the UK.
§ Lord Brabazon of Taraasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any revisions which may be made, in the light either of the availability of new local data or the Isle of Wight Council's representations, to local area gross domestic product figures contained in an Office 179WA for National Statistics press release dated 22 October 1998 will be taken into account by Eurostat in establishing eligibility for European Union structural funding from 2000. [HL477]
§ Lord Simon of HighburyWe expect the GDP figures published by Eurostat in November 1998 for the NUTS II regions will be used to determine Structural Fund eligibility from 2000.