§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost to public funds of the training programme for young citizens of the member states who will be attending the launch of the European Commission's Dialogue on Europe. [114135]
§ Mr. Vaz[holding answer 14 March 2000]: The young people taking part in the launch of the European Commission's "Dialogue on Europe" were all participants in the long-standing programme of graduate traineeships with that institution. In 2000, 4.2 million euro have been allocated in the European Union budget for the operation of the traineeships programme.
The launch of "Dialogue on Europe" took place at the biannual welcome event for the new intake of trainees on 1 March 2000. The additional costs to the EU budget are estimated by the Commission at 25,000 euro.
The Government are keen to raise awareness of the European dimension of the work of UK Government Departments, and a secondment to one of the EU institutions serves that aim. Details of "stage" opportunities for UK civil servants are circulated biannually by the Cabinet Office, which also process the applications received. Staff input cannot be reliably quantified, but is not onerous. A maximum of five European Fast Streamers (the UK Government's development programme for British graduates who wish to make a career in the EU institutions) go on a "stage" in each biannual intake. Their salary and allowances while in Brussels are paid by the Cabinet Office.