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Ec (Regional Development Programmes)

Volume 78: debated on Monday 29 April 1985

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asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department has a copy of the European Economic Community document the "Regional Development Programmes of the Second Generation for the Period 1981 to 1985" dated June 1984; and if he will publish in the Official Report table 1 in the document which gives the percentage of the populations of European Economic Community countries living in assisted areas.

I can confirm that the Department of Trade and Industry has a copy of this document. The table to which the right hon. Member has referred is, however, misleading as it shows the position in 1983 and this is well out of date. With regard to the United Kingdom, for example, it shows that EC 'regional aids' are available for 30 per cent. of the population, whereas the current figure is 44ยท7 per cent.; and there have also been changes in the composition of the assisted areas of other member states.