§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to give technical assistance for the preparation of projects and applications for funds under the special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. [17463]
§ Sir John Wheeler[holding answer 3 April 1995]: The draft guidelines for the special support programme stipulates that technical assistance should be made available during the preparation and implementation of the programme. In the preparation stage, it is a matter for the European Commission to offer any necessary assistance. It is likely that the programme will also include a provision to cover technical assistance during the implementation stage, but this will need to be agreed with the Irish authorities and the Commission.
§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will allow private sector companies to match finance for projects obtained from the special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. [17465]
§ Sir John Wheeler[holding answer 3 April 1995]: The Government welcome private sector contributions to projects which the structural funds support. Where activities merit and are eligible for support from the funds within the special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, it is likely that there will be scope for the private sector and private finance to play their part. However, the programme has still to be drawn up in conjunction with the Irish authorities and then negotiated with the European Commission.
§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations he(a) has had or (b) intends to have with European Commissioners concerning procedures through which the private sector could access 1067W resources from the special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. [17464]
§ Sir John Wheeler[holding answer 3 April 1995]: The Government wish to maximise the private sector contribution to projects assisted under the structural funds and have forwarded to the European Commission proposals for facilitating private sector contribution to projects to which the European regional development fund makes grants. This issue is not specific to the special support programme for peace and reconciliation.
§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he had made of the European Commission guidelines concerning the ability of the private sector wholly to match finance projects eligible for support from the special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. [17466]
§ Sir John Wheeler[holding answer 3 April 1995]: The special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland is subject to the normal regulations governing the use of structural funds. The Government are awaiting the Commission response to UK proposals on the role of private sector matching funds in the context of these regulations.