HC Deb 27 October 1975 vol 898 cc374-5W
Mr. Tom Ellis

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many applications for aid from the European Regional Fund have been received by him from (a) local authorities, (b) other public agencies, and (c) private agencies;

(2) how many applications for aid from the European Regional Fund received by his office have been submitted by him to the fund's administrations in each of the categories (a) local authorities, (b) other public agencies, and (c) private agencies;

(3) what is the total value of the applications for aid from the European Regional Development Fund received by his office from each of the categories (a) local authorities, (b) other public agencies, and (c) private agencies;

(4) what is the total value of applications for aid from the European Regional Development Fund submitted by him to the fund's administrators in each of the following categories (a) local authorities, (b) other public agencies, and (c) private agencies;

(5) what proportion of the applications for aid from the European Regional Development Fund submitted by his office fall primarily into each of the following categories (a) advance factory building, (b) infrastructure improvements, (c) retraining, and (d) aids towards autonomous regional long-term development.

Mr. John Morris

The information is not readily available in the form requested. The Department of Industry is responsible for forwarding all United Kingdom applications for the European Regional Development Fund. As regards applications which were prepared by the Welsh Office, my Department consulted public authorities and other investors in potentially eligible projects in Wales. As a result some 190 projects were considered.

From these, seven applications were compiled covering 123 individual projects and requesting some £6.4 million of fund aid. One application, in respect of 46 projects, involved the Government's advance factory programme in Wales: the others concerned infrastructure schemes and to industrial investment. The Welsh Office applications do not include any retraining projects.