§ Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice she gives to voluntary agencies in the United Kingdom regarding their applications to the EEC for financial support, and in particular whether she advises them that any such support will affect any existing Her Majesty's Government payments to them.
§ Mrs. Castle,pursuant to her reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 8th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 111–2], circulated the following information:
Voluntary organisations would be informed, if they sought advice from my Department, of the criteria laid down by the Community which govern assistance from EEC sources. The effect, if any, on grant aid from the Government of any Community support would depend on the purposes for which this support was given and the circumstances as a whole.
At present the main source potentially available to voluntary organisations is the European Social Fund. Despite its title this fund does not provide general welfare assistance, and is limited to meeting half the cost of training and resettlement schemes which facilitate the geographical and occupational mobility of particular groups of workers. The primary interest in the fund rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, and so far as my responsibilities are concerned the fund's scope is limited to rehabilitation, training and resettlement of disabled people to enable them to take up employment in the open market and possibly certain measures to assist immigrant workers and their families.
My Department made three applications for grants in respect of the disabled for 1974 and another three for 1975. One of the 1974 applications was successful and decisions are still awaited on this year's applications.
297WApplications to the fund may be made by voluntary bodies if the operation for which money is sought is already supported financially by a public body, but so far no such application has been made. The procedure is for applications to be channelled through the United Kingdom Government and, while it is open to a voluntary body to submit a proposal to the European Commission direct, if it took this course it would be referred back to the Government for comment. Alternatively a Government Department may apply to the fund for 50 per cent. of the money spent on grants to voluntary bodies for purposes within its scope. This approach provides the most satisfactory way of tackling the complexities of application, of avoiding uncertainty and delay in payment which might embarrass a voluntary organisation relying on a self-contained application, and of ensuring that the United Kingdom secures the maximum benefit.
As my hon. Friend told the House during the debate on voluntary organisations on 8th July—[Vol. 895, c. 358–9.]—we think it appropriate, now that the United Kingdom's continued membership of the Community is settled, to consider further how we should handle applications and the direction in which we would wish the European Social Fund to be developed.