§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the extension of the Konver programme.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe European Commission announced a second Konver initiative for the period 1994–97, to assist the regeneration or areas affected by job losses due to defence changes. It is one of 13 community initiatives to be financed from the European structural funds.
These funds will contribute £380 million to Konver II; the allocation for the United Kingdom, and Gibraltar, will be known in July. The eligible areas should be determined in September; they will, as before, include areas other than those designated for objectives 1, 2 and 5(b) of the funds. A general programme describing the intended application of Konver II in the United Kingdom, and Gibraltar, is due to be prepared by October, and then needs to be agreed by the Commission. It is therefore unlikely that individual applications for grant can be considered before the new year.