EU Structural Funds (Hansard, 15 October 2002)

§ Ms Buck
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the Government's policy is towards re-nationalisation of parts of the EU Structural Funds post 2006; [73992]
(2) if the Government will bring forward proposals for a stronger urban dimension to future EU regional policy;[73991]
(3) what the Government's policy is towards the development of a stronger EU regional policy for (a)new and (b) current member states after 2006;[73995]
(4) if she will make it her policy that a similar amount of money to that received by UK regions in 2000 to 2006 would be made available by national Government for comparable purposes if EU regional policy was renationalised. [73993]

§ Alan Johnson
Although the debate on the future of European cohesion policy post-2006 has already started, very few national governments have so far committed themselves to a particular position. The Government intends to play a full part in this debate and we will shortly be launching a consultation to inform our position.
The debate has to be seen in the context of the Government's objective to improve regional and national economic performance. Following the 2002 spending review, the Government agreed a new focus for regional policy: to improve the economic performance of all regions and over the long term to reduce the persistent gaps in growth rates between them. The Government is committed to pursuing the necessary policies to achieve this target.
A key issue informing the Government's position in the debate will be the added value of the Structural Funds i.e. the extent to which this source of funding has delivered benefits over and beyond those which could have been achieved through national measures. We are collaborating with other Departments and the Devolved Administrations on research into this and other issues.
Cohesion policy has always been focused on the poorest parts of the EU and the forthcoming enlargement will therefore require a fundamental review of the policy and its application. It is clear that in future there must continue to be transfers from the richer states to the poorer, and in particular to the candidates currently negotiating for accession. However, it is too early to draw any conclusions about the overall size of the Structural Funds budget, the priorities it should address or the future distribution of the Funds amongst the Member States.

§ Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the projected nuclear liabilities bill is accounted for by the need to clean up and remediate radioactively contaminated land at nuclear sites. [73562]
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§ Mr. Wilson
As the White Paper explains, on current estimates the total undiscounted cost of cleaning up the nuclear legacy is some £48 billion. Of this figure, 43 per cent. is the projected cost associated with decommissioning, and 47 per cent. is the projected cost associated with the processing, storage and final disposal of waste and the environmental restoration of radioactively contaminated land. The remaining 10 per cent. represents the cost of licence compliance, site infrastructure and corporate management.

§ Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with reference to paragraphs 4.8 to 4.10 of Cm 5552, on managing the nuclear legacy, if she will make it her policy not to appoint current employees of BNFL to the Liabilities Management Authority board. [73551]

§ Mr. Wilson
No decisions have been taken on appointments to the LMA Board. As the White Paper makes clear, appointments will be made according to the rules set out by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA).

§ Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her best estimate is of the transfer value of(a) Thorp and (b) SMP, if set in place under CM5552, Managing the Nuclear Legacy. [73561]

§ Mr. Wilson
Transfer of assets from BNFL will be made on a basis which reflects their value at the time the transfer is made.

§ Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the assets and liabilities allocated to the proposed Liabilities Management Authority will be(a) subject to safeguards and (b) actively safeguarded by Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency. [73565]

§ Mr. Wilson
The Government's policy is that all civil nuclear material in the UK should be subject to safeguarding requirements. This policy will apply in relation to all material held at sites for which the LMA is responsible.