HC Deb 17 July 2002 vol 389 cc318-9W
16. Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last visited the European Union institutions in Brussels to discuss Objective One funding; and if he will make a statement. [67887]

Mr. Paul Murphy

I visited the European Union institutions in Strasbourg at the beginning of July. During that visit I had meetings with Welsh MEPs and with Sir Nigel Sheinwald, the UK's Permanent Representative to the European Union, to discuss a number of European issues, including Objective One. This built on my meeting with Commissioner Barnier in Brussels in November 2001 and on discussions with the President of the Commission and Commissioner Kinnock, during their visit to the new European Commission office in Cardiff at the end of May.

The Government have renewed their commitment to ensuring that Wales receives the full benefit of Objective One funding, by providing full public expenditure cover for the Objective One programme in Monday's Spending Review. Once again, this is outside Barnett and additional to increases to the Welsh block.