§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the total funding available through gaining Objective 1 status for Wales; and how that money will be apportioned to the counties within the Objective 1 Area. [53924]
§ Mr. HainWe cannot at present predict with any certainty what might be the implications of Structural Fund reform for individual regions within the UK, and in particular the future financial arrangements. All these issues depend on the resolution of the final Regulations for which the Cardiff European Council set a target date of March 1999. My hon. Friend can be assured, however, that I am keeping in very close touch with this issue.