HC Deb 23 May 1989 vol 153 c460W
Mr. Ashton

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the precise areas which will now benefit from the EEC regional fund; and if the decision on the boundaries and size of the individual allocations will be made by his Department or by the European Commission.

Mr. Lofthouse

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the precise areas which will now benefit from the EEC regional fund; and if the decision on the boundaries and size of the individual allocations will be made by his Department or by the European Commission.

Mr. Atkins

[holding answer 22 May 1989]: The following areas of the United Kingdom have been designated for eligibility for the European regional development fund (ERDF) with effect from 1 January 1989. Northern Ireland was designated by the Council of the European Communities in its regulation (EEC) 2052/88 of 24 June 1988. The remainder were designated by the Commission, in pursuance of that regulation, on 22 March and 10 May 1989: Northern Ireland; The assisted areas of Great Britain, except: Cinderford and Ross-on-Wye, Corby, Kidderminster and Whitby travel-to-work areas, and parts of Birmingham, Bridgend, Cardiff, Coventry and Hinckley, Dudley and Sandwell and Sheffield TTWAs; The remainder of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and Development Board for Rural Wales areas; The remainder of Greater Manchester; Nottingham City (UPA); and the following TTWAs: Alnwick and Amble, Burnley, Castleford and Pontefract, Chesterfield, Goole and Selby (part), Mansfield, Pendle, Retford, Stirling (part), Wakefield and Dewsbury, Whitehaven and Worksop.

Both hon. Members' constituencies (Bassetlaw, and Pontefract and Castleford) are thus eligible in their entirety.

The excluded parts of Bridgend, Cardiff and Sheffield TTWAs remain eligible under transitional provisions, at least for the period of ERDF programmes which relate to them. Camarthen and Llandeilo TTWAs are also now eligible in principle; but the terms of the previous ERDF regulation, which still apply transitionally in the case, provide for ERDF grants in non-nationally aided areas only exceptionally. Further areas may become eligible for limited grants under special programmes—Resider (steel areas), Renaval (shipbuilding areas) and others that may be adopted by the Commission.

The allocation of grants is determined by the Commission upon application by the Government. Indicative financial plans for ERDF assistance in the three years 1989–91 are to be contained in Community support framework documents, to be established by the Commission in agreement with the Government by the autumn of 1989 and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.