HC Deb 28 January 1997 vol 289 cc133-4W
Mr. MacShane

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful attempts have been made by United Kingdom organisations in the last four years to obtain funds from the EU's (i) Altener, (ii) LIFE II: nature protection, (iii) Urban, (iv) Leader II, (v) Regis II, (vi) Save II and (vii) LIFE II: environmental protection schemes; and what funds have been allocated to the United Kingdom under each of these schemes. [12341]

Mr. Clappison

My Department is responsible for the Urban, English Leader II, and Save II schemes and the LIFE II: nature protection and LIFE II: environmental protection schemes. The President of the Board of Trade is responsible for Altener. Regis II does not apply to the United Kingdom.

LIFE II: Nature protection and LIFE II Environment protection:

These two schemes have been in operation since 1996; therefore, only one round of applications has been made. In 1996, there were two successful applications and one unsuccessful application to the LIFE II nature scheme, and 4.3 million ECU received in funding. With regard to the LIFE II environment scheme, there were seven successful and 36 unsuccessful applications in 1996, and 1.8 million ECU received in funding.

URBAN:

Urban is a three-year programme in operation from 1996 to 1999 and is worth 80.25 million ECU to the United Kingdom, excluding Northern Ireland, over the programme period. Ten areas have been approved for funding.

LEADER II:

LEADER II is a five-year programme running from November 1994 until 31 December 1999. My Department is responsible only for the English LEADER II programme, which has been allocated 31.82 million ECU in funding for the five-year period. This money was distributed among 17 targeted local development groups within England. The information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the relevant Secretaries of State.

SAVE II:

This information is not centrally available, as levels of funding for specific projects supported under the SAVE programme are a contractual matter between the European Commission and those carrying out each project.