§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made by the Commission in using the European social fund to finance the social operations in the restructuring policy for textiles and clothing: and whether a discussion document has been released which elaborates on such a role and on how it is to be implemented at the number state level.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980, c. 361–62]: The European social fund may grant assistance to schemes aimed at facilitating the employment and the geographical mobility of those employed in or leaving the textile and clothing industries. This follows Council decision 76/206/EEC in favour of persons occupied in the textile and clothing industries, as amended by decision 77/802/EEC.
Some £22 million was included in the fund's 1979 commitments budget as aid under this scheme and for a similar one for the agricultural sector.
The most recent Commission document which refers to the role of the social fund in the restructuring of the textile and clothing industries is a Commission communication to the Council on general guidelines for a textile and clothing 774W policy, R/2118/78 published on 28 July 1978.