§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he will take to protect Welsh interests under the current review of European structural funds. [32630]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesI am totally committed to ensuring that Wales continues to secure the maximum benefit from the Structural Funds during the period 2000–2006. Apart from being closely involved with the development of the overall UK policy approach, I have met Commissioner Wulf Mathies personally on two separate occasions over the past few months to put the Welsh case and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State met earlier this week with a senior Commission official to make similar representations.