To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what role her Department is playing in the implementation of the European Union’s (a) INTERREG IVA, (b) INTERREG IVB and (c) INTERREG IVC programmes; and what form of control system is being put in place to monitor the outcomes for each. (182553)

My Department has been involved in the development of all three INTERREG programmes through leading the UK representation on working groups overseeing their preparation and agreeing the priorities.

The draft IVA programmes were submitted to the European Commission in mid-November and should be implemented by May 2008.

The IVB and IVC programmes have been approved. My Department’s officials, with their regional colleagues, are representatives on the Monitoring and Steering Committees which decide the content and direction of the programmes as well as project selection.

The Managing, Certifying and Audit Authorities for each of these programmes are responsible for ensuring that the management and control arrangements comply with European Commission regulations. None of these authorities are based in the UK.