European Funding Schemes (Hansard, 10 March 1994)

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 14 February,Official Report, column 566, if he will list the European funding schemes for which local authorities can apply.

§ Mr. Baldry
The principal sources of European Community funding available to local authorities are the European Community's three structural funds. These are the European regional development fund, the European social fund and the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund. Local authorities may also be able to obtain grants or loans for specific purposes from various other European sources.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 14 February, 373W Official Report, column 566, what was the total amount of funding obtained by local authorities from Europe in each year since 1979 for which figures are available without incurring disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. Baldry
My Department has records of European regional development fund grants to local authorities in England. This information is set out in table 1. The figures represent the total value of ERDF grant approvals for local authority projects falling within my Department's policy responsibilities. However, it does not include grants to local authority companies, nor grants approved under programmes managed by other Departments.

Table 1—ERDF approved for local authority projects from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1993 (by calendar year)

Year ERDF approved (£s)

1979 13,423,340

1980 10,711,800

1981 22,600,866

1982 45,059,387

1983 43,009,044

1984 78,125,916

1985 79,045,299

1986 80,781,998

1987 81,965,476

1988 69,794,279

1989 39,459,150

1990 113,679,498

1991 180,328,261

1992 170,427,853

1993 236,223,117

Totals for all calendar years 1,264,635,284

Figures are also available for European Social Fund grants. Table 2 shows the total value of ESF grants approved or paid to local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales since 1990. Figures covering years prior to 1990 are not readily accessible.

Table 2—ESF granted for local authority projects from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1993 (by calendar year)

Year ERDF granted (£s)

1990 83,680,023

1991 118,969,706

1992 126,532,128

1993 203,714,216

Totals for all calendar years 532,896,073

Table 1—ERDF approved for local authority projects from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1993 (by calendar year)
Year	ERDF approved (£s)
1979	13,423,340
1980	10,711,800
1981	22,600,866
1982	45,059,387
1983	43,009,044
1984	78,125,916
1985	79,045,299
1986	80,781,998
1987	81,965,476
1988	69,794,279
1989	39,459,150
1990	113,679,498
1991	180,328,261
1992	170,427,853
1993	236,223,117
Totals for all calendar years	1,264,635,284

Table 2—ESF granted for local authority projects from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1993 (by calendar year)
Year	ERDF granted (£s)
1990	83,680,023
1991	118,969,706
1992	126,532,128
1993	203,714,216
Totals for all calendar years	532,896,073