21. Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the work of the taskforce established to maximise benefits from European structural funds. [61580]
§ Mr. HainThe Taskforce was established on 16 October 1998 and has been charged with advising my right hon. Friend on Welsh interests in the ongoing negotiation of the draft Structural Funds Regulations for the period 2000–06 and considering, advising and co-ordinating the preparation of a national development strategy and related operational programmes to implement Structural Funds investment in Wales over that period.
As part of this process, it has established working groups to examine the needs of the Welsh economy both by sector and by region and also to work up strategic and local priorities. Its work embraces a wide range of partners to enable it to command the greatest possible degree of participation and ownership.