§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has as to what proportion of EC structural funds for industrial and urban areas in decline—objective 2 areas—will be apportioned to(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 7 February 1994]: The European Commission recently announced indicative allocations to member states. The United Kingdom share of objective 2 funds for the period 1994–96 has been set at 2,142 mecu at 1994 prices.
Allocations to individual objective 2 areas will be linked to the submission of satisfactory regional development plans to the European Commission and the establishment of Community support frameworks for the respective objective 2 areas. The Commission has indicated that use within the United Kingdom of the same criteria for internal allocation as were used to set the United Kingdom total would result in the allocation of 19 per cent. of the available resources to Scotland, as follows:
- Eastern Scotland 118 mecus
- Western Scotland 289 mecus
The Western Scotland area includes Strathclyde region outside objective 1 apd a small part of the Glasgow travel-to-work area in central region.
Funds are not normally earmarked for specific parts within designated objective 2 areas. Individual areas benefit through projects competing successfully for funds by demonstrating value for money and lasting economic benefit.