HC Deb 27 November 1991 vol 199 c519W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the implementation of article 9 of EC regulation 4253/88 about an additional economic impact within regions of the United Kingdom eligible to receive EC structural fund grants.

Mr. Leigh

[holding answer 21 November 1991]: Article 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) 4253/88 requires that the increase in the appropriations for the Funds provided for in Article 12(2) of Regulation (EEC) No. 2052/88 should have a genuine additional economic impact in the regions concerned and result in at least an equivalent increase in the total volume of official or similar (Community and national) structural aid in the Member State concerned".

The increase in appropriations referred to relates to the doubling of the funds between 1987 and 1993. However United Kingdom receipts from the funds are not expected to increase in real terms over this period. In these circumstances, article 9 will not have any practical impact in the United Kingdom. The estimates available to me suggest that the United Kingdom is the only member state in this position.