§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under which schemes local authorities have received European funding since 1979.
§ Mr. BaldryThe principal sources of EC funding that local authorities may receive are the European structural funds. Prior to 1989, applications for European regional development fund assistance for specific projects were submitted to the European Commission for approval. Since 1989, projects have been considered at regional level under Community support frameworks, agreed between the member state and the European Commission, for areas eligible under structural fund objectives 1, 2 and 5(b). Local authorities have also been able to apply for European social fund projects under objectives 3 and 4. Other funding from the structural funds has been available to local authorities through Community initiatives of which there have been a total of 14 in the period 1989–93.172W Examples of these initiatives are Rechar for coalfield areas and Interreg for cross-border areas. New Community support frameworks, and European Commission proposals for Community initiatives, for the period 1994–99 are in the process of being established.
Local authorities have also been able to obtain grants or loans or other awards from various other European sources. My Department does not have records of funding that may have been received in this way.