HC Deb 02 April 1998 vol 309 cc662-3W
19. Dr. Ladyman

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement about her Department's priorities for the reform of EU structural funds. [35992]

34. Mr. McCabe

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the reform of EU structural funds. [36008]

36. Dr. Palmer

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on the proposed reform of EU regional aid. [36010]

Mrs. Roche

We welcome publication of the draft regulations for Structural and Cohesion Funds—which are part of the wider Agenda 2000 reform package. The regulations must now be agreed by all fifteen Member States and approved by the European Parliament.

Our overriding concern in the long negotiations ahead is to ensure that these draft regulations are affordable, durable and fair overall, particularly to the UK.

The UK, like other Member States, would like to see fair and effective criteria which address local needs. This is the starting point of the negotiations. We will be working hard, with other Member States and the Commission, to improve these draft regulations and to reach a fair and affordable outcome.