§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Wales what have been the identifiable Welsh receipts in cash terms from each EEC fund in each year so far of United Kingdom membership.
§ Mr. Alec JonesDetails of loans and grants allocated annually in respect of projects in Wales were given in my right hon. and learned Friend's answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Anglesey (Mr. Hughes) on 16th December 1976.—[Vol. 922, c.834–6.] In respect of the loans, transfers of cash from the European Investment Bank and the European Coal and Steel Community normally follow closely upon their allocation. In respect of the grants, payments can only be claimed once the expenditure to which they relate has been incurred.
Available details of payments in respect of grant allocations are as follows:
£ million 1975 1976 European Coal and Steel Community Steel Industry readaptation benefits* 0.01 0.49 Agricultural Grants (EAGGF) 0.46 European Regional Development Fund 2.91 * Reimbursement by the ECSC of up to 50 per cent. of United Kingdom Government grants. In addition payments of some £4.25 million in 1975 and £4 million in 1976 were made in respect of United Kingdom Government readaptation grants relating to the coal industry, the specifically Welsh clement of which cannot readily be isolated.
It is not possible to identify individual payments in Wales made by the European Social Fund.