§ Sir Sydney ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from construction industry representatives about the late payment of invoices to United Kingdom companies under the EU Tacis Programme; and what initiatives he is taking to resolve the matter. [70093]
§ Mr. RaynsfordNicholas Bennett, Chief Executive of the ACE, wrote to me on 25 January enclosing a copy of his letter to my hon. Friend the Minister for Small Firms, Trade and Industry. This is an important issue on which we share the concerns of the industry. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development which is the lead department on the Tacis and other external EC external aid programmes on 10 February 1999,Official Report, columns 280–81.