§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in resolving the dispute over the allocation of EC RECHAR funds in Wales.
§ Mr. David HuntThere is no dispute. The RECHAR programme for south Wales was adopted by the European Commission in February. A package of projects to take up most of the available funds has been agreed in principle by the programme co-ordinating committee. Full applications are now being assessed, and I anticipate that the first formal approvals will take place well before the end of the year.