§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was allocated to the voluntary sector in each of the past two years in Scotland through the use of European social fund objective 3 programme(a) in total and (b) per project.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe information is set out for voluntary sector objective 3—the long-time unemployed —projects in Scotland:
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ESF Number of projects £million 1992 5.23 66 1993 7.55 93 The figures for 1992 are for amounts claimed in total: the figures for 1993 are four amounts approved. The amount claimed per project varies significantly and could be produced only by manual scrutiny at disproportionate cost.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many representations he has received in connection with the delay of allocation of European social fund objective 3 programme in Scotland for the year January to December 1994; and if he will make a statement as to the future allocation;
(2) when he expects to announce the outcome of negotiations on the voluntary sector budget for January to December 1994 in Scotland in connection with European social fund objective 3.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 15 representations from Scotland in connection with the delay in making allocations for the European social fund objective 3 programme. The European Commission is still considering the Great Britain objective 3 plan which was submitted to it last November. Although the Government have pressed consistently for speedy progress, formal negotiations are only just beginning. It will not be possible to agree sectoral allocations until annual funding allocations and priorities for support have been confirmed.