To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding he expects the objective 2 areas of the east midlands in Retford, Worksop and Mansfield to receive from the Rechar initiative for coal mining areas from the European Commission.

It is too early to say. The European Commission has first to determine and publish a list of eligible coal mining areas for the purpose of Rechar and then to consider programmes of measures for such areas. I hope that its decisions on the amounts of Rechar grants will be reached before the end of this year.