§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that appropriate technical assistance is made available for applications under objectives 2 and 5 (b) of European structural funds.
§ Mr. BaldryTechnical assistance grants are available only from within the United Kingdom's structural funds allocation. If any such grants are made, the amount left for projects is correspondingly smaller. Therefore, the Government consider that the funds should be used primarily for projects, and have sought to minimise the use of technical assistance.
Normal practice should be that applicants bear the cost of making applications themselves. This ensures equity between applicants and it is a sound principle that applicant bodies should pay for their own administration.
As in all other fields, Government Departments and offices will gladly assist those who may have difficulty in completing applications. However, it is recognised that there may be some organisations, especially in the voluntary sector, who may need extra help. Limited technical assistance may exceptionally be made available to support recognised bodies in bringing forward high quality applications.