§ Mr. LeightonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how big the regional fund would need to be if the European Community had a regional policy for the whole of the European Community on the same cost per head as the payments to Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIn 1990 European regional development fund commitments to Northern Ireland are expected to be around 70 mecu (approximately £50 million), or about 45 ecu (£32) per head. If all regions of the European Community eligible for the fund had272W commitments per head at this level, total commitments in 1990 would be about 6,300 mecu. If the whole of the Community had commitments per head at this level, total commitments would be about 14,500 mecu. The 1990 budget commitments appropriation for the fund is 5,408 mecu.