Rail Freight Terminals

HL Deb 19 January 1999 vol 596 cc96-7WA

Lord Berkeley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What criteria govern the allocation of capital grants from European Commission structural funds to rail freight terminals in areas with Objective 1 status, including any limitation on whether the recipient is in the public or private sector. [HL411]

Lord Whitty

Support from European Structural Funds is available for activities defined in an area's Single Programming Document. Projects are assessed on the extent to which they contribute to the objectives outlined in the Single Programming Document; whether they offer good value for money; and whether they accord with government policy. In Objective I areas any grant offered is up to a maximum of 75 per cent. of eligible costs.

My department has no specific rules on the funding of rail freight terminals and applications from both public and private sector are welcomed.