§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which schemes submitted to Advantage West Midlands in the last 12 months have been ruled ineligible as a result of EC state aid rules; [43487]
(2) what recent representations she has received in respect of EC state aid rules. [43486]
§ Alan JohnsonNo projects have been ruled ineligible on state aid grounds alone. Some have given rise to state aid concerns which require them either to be amended so that they do not constitute aid or so that they fell within the block exemption regulations. Other schemes, or their UK funding streams, may need to be or are being notified to the commission so that their compatibility with the EC treaty can be determined. I have received representations from Members of Parliament and businesses about the state aid rules. It is important that the rules are respected but also that they should not inhibit unnecessarily regeneration of urban centres.