§ Mr. DykesTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the ministerial meeting concerning additionality of funds held between himself and European Commissioner Millan on 25 April.
§ Mr. LeightonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what conclusion he came to after his meeting with Commissioner Bruce Milian on additionality.
§ Mr. LilleyWith my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, and other Ministers, I met Mr. Bruce Milian, European Commissioner with responsibility for regional policies, on Thursday 25 April to discuss issues relating to the Community's structural funds.
We discussed a range of issues concerning the funds' grants in the United Kingdom, as well as broader matters relating to the future of the funds.
The proposed RECHAR programmes of grants for United Kingdom coalfield areas were one of the subjects discussed. The meeting helped reduce the misunderstanding there has been about the additionality of Community grants. I remain in touch with the Commission and hope that agreement will now soon be reached to enable these useful programmes to proceed.