HL Deb 16 February 1998 vol 586 c7WA
Lord Dormand of Easington

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proposals they have made for the reform of the European structural funds and the criteria for their allocation. [HL463]

The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Simon of Highbury)

Following the publication of the Commission's communicationAgenda 2000 in July, the Government are discussing the reform of the European Structural and Cohesion Funds with the Commission and other member states, with the aim of securing a package which is fair to all member states—especially to the United Kingdom and its regions—affordable and durable, and simpler and more efficient. In these discussions, we have suggested that GDP per capita should be a factor taken into account in the allocation of the funds.