HC Deb 15 February 1993 vol 219 c54W
Mr. Illsley

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much more sterling is available to the United Kingdom from the European social fund and European regional development fund as a result of the fall in the exchange rate.

Mr. Sainsbury

Payments in ecu from the funds are received at frequent but irregular intervals. Each is converted to sterling at the exchange rate on the date of receipt. Also, in the case of the European social fund, annual programmes are not finally valued in ecu until the date of submission of the final account of expenditure, some 18 months after the start of the programme. No single figure can therefore be given.