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EU Regional Development Fund

Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received in each year to date from the European regional development fund; how much has been devoted to (a) infrastructure projects undertaken by non-central Government bodies, (b) infrastructure projects undertaken by central Government and (c) industrial projects. [10813]

Sir John Wheeler: The information is as follows:

Infrastructure projects

£ million
Financial YearNon-central GovernmentCentral GovernmentIndustrial projectsProgrammes(17)Total
1975-760.6--2.3--2.9
1976-770.62.83.8--7.2
1977-783.20.72.5--6.4
1978-792.40.80.8--4.0
1979-809.73.33.0--16.0
1980-819.71.310.0--21.0
1981-824.74.07.60.116.4
1982-833.811.32.50.418.0
1983-843.97.51.30.813.5
1984-855.17.53.01.316.9
1985-867.09.01.01.418.4
1986-8710.36.83.82.323.2
1987-8822.96.411.15.545.9
1988-8918.97.015.25.646.7
1989-908.44.916.910.240.4
1990-916.94.34.931.547.6
1991-922.21.74.429.8138.11
1992-933.80.55.769.2179.21
1994-950.7--0.633.634.9
1995-960.0--0.264.0564.25
1996-97(18)------150.50150.50
Totals(19)125.880.1101.5507.88815.28

(17) These programmes combine elements of both industry and infrastructure. Under the new structural funds arrangements from 1989 emphasis was placed on programmes rather than individual projects and some of these so combine the industrial and infrastructural elements that they cannot be validly separated. The table therefore shows an extra column in respect of this class of ERDF receipt.

(18) Includes estimated receipts to date for 1996-97 financial year.

(19) European regional funds receipts to community initiative programmes benefiting Northern Ireland are included in answer number 14 of 13 January 1997.


13 Jan 1997 : Column: 60

European Community (UK Payments)

Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was Northern Ireland's share of the United Kingdom's payments into the European Economic Community from 1 January 1973 to date; and what was Northern Ireland's share of receipts for the same period. [10812]

Sir John Wheeler: It is not possible to determine Northern Ireland's actual share of the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Community because payments are made on a national and not a regional basis. Similarly it is not possible to identify the full extend of receipts from the Community. However, a Northern Ireland attributed share of the contribution to the EC is calculated as an accounting mechanism because of the operation of a separate Northern Ireland consolidated fund. This notional attributed share does not count as an item of expenditure within the Northern Ireland public expenditure programme and has therefore no bearing on the level of public expenditure in the Province.

Figures for the notional attribution of part of the Northern Ireland's share of the United Kingdom's payments and for those areas where the receipts from the European Community's structural funds can be separately identified are as follows:

£ million
Financial yearAttributed share (part)(20)Identified receipts
1973-7410
1974-7564
1975-7684
1976-771316
1977-781614
1978-792419
1979-802831
1980-812844
1981-825041
1982-836653
1983-846651
1984-856858
1985-867444
1986-876277
1987-8891111
1988-898596
1989-9010495
1990-91107110
1991-9278132
1992-93121158
1993-94(21)171186
1994-95(21)173155
1995-96(21)207146
Total1,6471,645

(20) This comprises total identified EC structural funds receipts and, from 1994-95, financial instrument for fisheries guidance receipts in Northern Ireland. Receipts under the guarantee section are disbursed centrally by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and are, therefore, not included in the above figures.

(21) Attributed share figures for the last three years are provisional estimates which will be revised when final details of NI's attributed share of tax revenues is determined.


13 Jan 1997 : Column: 61

European Initiatives

Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been received by Northern Ireland under each of the European Community initiatives in each financial year to date; and what

13 Jan 1997 : Column: 62

proportion of funding each year (a) represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy and (b) was used to offset Government expenditure. [10810]

Sir John Wheeler: Under the 1989-93 structural funds allocation, Northern Ireland had 11 approved Community initiatives. The amounts received to date under each initiative are:

£ million
Initiative1991-921992-931993-941994-951995-961996-97
INTERREG I (assistance to border areas)5.095.7016.11------
STRIDE (research and technological development)--5.283.27------
ENVIREG (environmental improvement)0.771.660.338.89--1.11
PRISMA (assistance to firms)--1.212.19------
TELEMATIQUE (promotion of telecommunications service)--3.35--------
EUROFORM (qualifications, new skills, and employment opportunity)--0.050.960.62--0.16
NOW (employment opportunity for women)--0.300.54--0.15--
HORIZON (handicapped and certain disadvantaged groups)--0.230.750.200.21--
--Support Structures0.030.020.130.080.09--
RETEX I (diversification for textile regions)----0.90.55----
LEADER I (rural development)--1.09--1.17----
KONVER I (restructuring of defence-dependent areas)------0.25----

13 Jan 1997 : Column: 61

13 Jan 1997 : Column: 61

Under the 1994-99 structural funds allocation, Northern Ireland benefits under 10 Community initiative programmes including the EU special support programme for peace and reconciliation. The amounts received to date under each initiative are:

£ million
Initiative1995-961996-97
INTERREG II (promoting cross border areas)5.94--
SMEs (small firms)2.55--
RETEX II (diversification for textile regions)1.54--
EMPLOYMENT (addressing exclusion and marginalisation in the labour markets)0.514.30
ADAPT (industrial change)--0.70
URBAN (developing selected urban areas5.65--
PESCA (development of fishing areas)--0.08
LEADER II (rural development)1.890.68
KONVER II (restructuring of defence-dependent areas)--0.06
PEACE PROGRAMME8.8333.25

(a) Receipts earned by the private sector and by non-central Government public sector bodies are paid to the claimant. The receipts represent cash additions to the recipients. Receipts earned by central Government are paid into the Northern ireland consolidated fund. All receipts are subject to EC audit arrangements and normal Government accounting requirements.

(b) The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations, and their availability enables expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.


13 Jan 1997 : Column: 62

Public Appointments

Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy that in each submission put to him for public appointments where an Irish Government nominee is on the list that any nominee of an hon. Member or a political party for that vacancy is also placed on the same list. [9580]

Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 18 December 1996]:

I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 4 December 1996, Official Report, column 705.


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