HC Deb 30 January 2004 vol 417 cc608-9W
Mr. Djanogly

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the Government grant for Cambridgeshire County Council(a) was in 2003–04 and (b) will be in 2004–05. [151586]

(2) whether the actual grant payable to Cambridgeshire County Council for 2004–05 has increased in comparison with the current budgetary year. [151583]

Mr. Raynsford

The table as follows shows the amount of grant received by Cambridgeshire County Council in 2003–04 together with the amount that will be paid in 2004–05.

£ million
2003–04 2004–05
Revenue Support Grant 139.766 161.288
Redistributed Business Rates 148.375 140.759
Formula Grant 288.141 302.047

It is inappropriate to directly compare the amount of grant received by Cambridgeshire County Council in 2003–04 with that received in 2004–05 as there have been a number of changes in the functions of councils and the financing of particular services. This includes the change in the financing of combined fire authorities in England, which will become major precepting authorities on 1 April 2004. The table as follows shows the changes to grant on a like-for-like basis.

Negotiations on the criteria for 2007–13 have not yet commenced with the European Commission.

Ann Winterton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the criteria are for organisations to obtain European Regional Funding. [151892]

Mr. Raynsford

To obtain European Regional Funding, organisations must submit good quality projects, which meet the objectives and priorities, plus the project eligibility and selection criteria set out in the relevant Single Programming Document and Programme Complement for that particular area.

Ann Winterton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the criteria for obtaining(a) 2000 to 2006 and (b) 2007 to 2013 period European Regional Funding are based on (i) regional and (ii) national data. [151893]

Mr. Raynsford

The eligible areas for European Regional Funding for 2000–06 were based on both regional and national data.

It is too early to speculate on the likely criteria for selecting areas for 2007–13.

Ann Winterton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether European Regional Funding has to comply with EU state aid rules. [151894]

Mr. Raynsford

Yes. European Regional Funding has to comply with the EU state aid rules.

Ann Winterton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether European Regional Funding figures are quoted for(a) a seven-year period and (b) annually. [151895]

Mr. Raynsford

Yes. For the current 2000–06 round of programmes, European Regional Funding allocations are set out in the Single Programming Documents both annually and for the seven-year period. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister also holds both seven-year and annual figures at the overall English level.

Ann Winterton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the proposed regional assemblies would be responsible to(a) Parliament and (b) the EU for European Regional Funding. [151896]

Mr. Raynsford

The arrangements for the future management of European Regional Funding programmes have not yet been finalised. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister would expect the proposed Regional Assemblies to play a leading role, but that precise role has yet to be defined.

Ann Winterton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much Objective One money has been allocated to the(a) Yorkshire and Humber Region, (b) North West Region and (c) North East Region in the current financial year, broken down by area. [151881]

Mr. Raynsford

The Objective 1 programmes operate to a calendar year and the allocations for 2003 and 2004 are as follows:

€ million
2003 2004
South Yorkshire 170 150
Merseyside 193 171

The North East region does not qualify for Objective 1 funding.

Ann Winterton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what projections he has made of the level of Objective One money likely to be given to the(a) Yorkshire and Humber Region, (b) North West Region and (c) North East Region for the 2007–13 period. [151882]

Mr. Raynsford

None, at this stage. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is still awaiting proposals from the European Commission on their priorities for the future allocation of the Structural Funds.

Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the criteria which need to be fulfilled for an area to obtain Objective 1 funding. [151883]

Mr. Raynsford

For an area to qualify for Objective 1, it must correspond to level II of the Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units (NUTS level II) and have a per capita GDP less than 75 per cent. of the EU average.