§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if his Department will provide matching financial support for projects which succeed in attracting funding under the KONVER programme;
(2) what estimate his Department has made of the employment implications in the United Kingdom of successful bids for support under the KONVER programme; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many applications for funding under the KONVER programme have been submitted to his Department; and how many are being recommended to the Commission;
(4) what preparations his Department has made to submit applications under the KONVER programme to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe KONVER scheme of grants was announced on 28 May this year. The United Kingdom408W along with other member states has been invited to put forward a programme by the European Commission. The Commission has asked for these to be transmitted to Brussels by 31 August 1993.
My Department will shortly be consulting interested bodies for their views on the draft United Kingdom programme. Applications for projects have not yet been invited, and it is not possible at this stage to determine what the employment implications might be.
It will be for applicants themselves to provide funds to match any grant awarded under KONVER.