§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what will be the timing for changes he will be making to the assisted areas map; and what arrangements will be made for grant applications from businesses in areas which are to lose status caught up by those changes.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe European Commission cleared yesterday the Government's proposals for the new assisted areas map of Great Britain. I have today signed the order to bring the new map into effect. It will be laid before Parliament today.
My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have today written to all hon. Members to advise them of the changes. We have issued jointly a background document setting out the new map and explaining how the review of the map was conducted. Copies of this document are available in the Vote Office.
The new map will come into operation on 1 August. This allows nine days' notice so that businesses which have been engaged in pre-application discussions with departments under the various regional schemes will have an opportunity to complete formal application procedures before the changes take effect. Offers which have already been made will be honoured.