HC Deb 05 April 2000 vol 347 cc480-1W
Mr. Neil Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the European Commission's approval of the UK's proposed Objective 2 Structural Fund areas. [118218]

Mr. Caborn

I am pleased to say that the European Commission approved the UK's Objective 2 Structural Funds map on 30 March 2000. This is confirmation of their agreement in principle on 22 December 1999.

This is good news for UK, and ensures that many of the most needy areas in the UK will benefit from £3 billion of European regional funding between 2000 and 2006.

Regional partners can now finalise their draft programme plans, which will need to be submitted to the Commission for consideration by the end of April in order for funding to be backdated to 1 January 2000.

Mr. Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of cross-departmental co-operation on EU Objective 1 programmes. [116412]

Mr. Caborn

There has been a great deal of effective inter-departmental co-operation on the Objective 1 Programme, at both ministerial and official level.