European Social Fund (Hansard, 16 January 1991)

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his target date for the payment of European social fund grant to voluntary organisations for the 1991 programme.

§ Mr. Forth
It is my Department's intention that applications will be approved and initial payments made in the first half of 1991. This timetable is of course subject to the views of the partners in the European social fund who are currently considering how much time they need to deal with their part of the process.
At a meeting on 8 January the Commission and the Government proposed a target date of 15 April but the partners indicated that early May might be preferable to them. Even this date depends on the Commission releasing moneys for 1991 to Britain in good time.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what detailed steps he is taking to improve staffing and procedures for dealing with 1991 applications for European social fund applications.

§ Mr. Forth
A number of improvements are being made by my Department. We have increased our staffing substantially. The application forms have been simplified. Speedier checks on claims for payment will be introduced. As requested by the European social fund partners, early indications have been given of the overall sums of money likely to be available to the various groups of applicants. The assistance of the European Commission has been sought, particularly in speeding up the approval in Brussels of United Kingdom claims for payment.
At a meeting on 8 January the Commission and the Government proposed a target date of 15 April, but the partners indicated that early May might be preferable to them. Even this date depends on the Commission releasing moneys for 1991 to Britain in good time.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to issue the application form for voluntary organisations for the 1991 European social fund programme.

§ Mr. Forth
The application forms for 1991 are expected to be dispatched on Friday 18 January to the representatives of the main organisations involved in the European Social Fund.
At a meeting on 8 January the Commission and the Government proposed a target date of 15 April, but the partners indicated that early May might be preferable to them. Even this date depends on the Commission releasing moneys for 1991 to Britain in good time.