To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons his Department declined to accept an extension on spending deadlines for England for European structural funding in England; what estimate he has made of the amount of money under such structural funding provisions for England which was unspent at 31 December 2008; whether the extension will be accepted in relation to spending in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. (252941)

Responsibility for structural fund programmes, including eligibility extensions, lies with the appropriate Government Departments (DCLG, DEFRA, DWP) and devolved Administrations.