§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much money has been made available from the European Regional Development Fund in the past five years to South Yorkshire giving details of each individual project for Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield. [HL273]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)Over £123 million was allocated between 1993 and 1997 to successful bids under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for projects in South Yorkshire. These were made under a variety of different programmes, and include a number of sub-regional projects covering more than one local authority area within South Yorkshire.
The South Yorkshire areas have also benefited from a share of over £42 million made available over the same period for projects which operated across all parts of Yorkshire and the Humber which were eligible for ERDF support.
As the number of individual projects involved is large, I am writing to the noble Lord with these details, and am placing a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much money from the European Regional Development Fund has been allocated to Prince's Youth Business Trust in South Yorkshire since 1993 under the heading of job creation for young people of which self-employment is an option; and whether such allocations may continue under the "Welfare to Work" scheme. [HL272]
§ Baroness HaymanThe Prince's Youth Business Trust has been successful in bidding for funds for two schemes under the Objective 2 programme for the Yorkshire and the Humber region. The schemes cover South Yorkshire and parts of West Yorkshire and Humberside and it is therefore not possible to provide separate figures for South Yorkshire.
63WAUnder the 1994–96 programme, the trust was allocated up to £462,000 for a scheme of assistance to young people which ran from 1 July 1994 (1 January 1995 in South Yorkshire) to 31 March 1997 and has created 484 new enterprises employing 541 people.
Under the 1997–99 Objective 2 programme, the trust has been allocated up to £514,400 for a scheme which is expected to create 309 new enterprises employing 346 people. This runs from 1 July 1997 to 31 December 1999.
Funding under the European Regional Development Fund will continue to be available for such schemes in parallel with the welfare-to-work initiative. Funding under the welfare-to-work initiative may also be used in some circumstances as match funding for projects funded under either the European Regional Development Fund or the European Social Fund.
Self employment is part of the Employment Option under the New Deal and will be introduced for 18–24 year olds from June 1998. Further details will be issued to potential applicants in February and the trust will be able to bid under this scheme if it so wishes.