HL Deb 05 April 2004 vol 659 cc183-4WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the 2004 budgets for the Cross-Border Implementation Bodies; what percentage change these represent over 2003; and what change in the proportion contributed by each government. [HL1669]

Baroness Amos

The approved budgets for 2004 for each of the North/South Implementation Bodies and the percentage change compared to the 2003 budgets are set out in the table below. The proportion contributed by each government remained unchanged for all of the bodies except the Special EU Programmes Body, for which the northern contribution to the budget was increased from 55 per cent in 2003 to 56 per cent in 2004.

North/South Implementation Body 2004 Budget (£million) % Change from 2003 Budget
Waterways Ireland1 31.70 40.2
InterTradelreland 9.00 0.0
Special EU Programmes Body 2.02 0.0
Language Body—
Ulster-Scots Agency 1.7 10.6
Foras na Gaeilge 12.9 13.0

North/South Implementation Body 2004 Budget (£million) % Change from 2003 Budget
Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission 3.2 0.0
Food Safety Promotion Board 6.08 12.2
1 The increase in the budget is principally due to an allocation of £5.9 million towards building new headquarters in Enniskillen; a change in the euro/sterling exchange rate from £0.63 in 2003 to £0.69 in 2004 amounting to an increase of £2.2 million; and increased running costs of £1 million.