asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they expect that €2.3 billion of assistance from the European Union to Turkey for 2007 to 2010 will be broken down into distinct budget headings; how much of it will be spent within the 14 least developed provinces in east and south-east Turkey; whether any mechanism exists for consulting the inhabitants of each province about their priorities for expenditure; and what part of the total funds will be reserved for spending on the most deprived areas of major cities throughout Turkey, which are largely inhabited by people displaced from rural areas. [HL1127]

Spending priorities are determined by the Turkish Government in consultation with the European Commission, according to an annual operating programme for each component. Responsibility for co-ordinating consultation with central and local bodies during the drafting of individual operating programmes lies with the Turkish Government, but the European Commission also consults member states and civil society organisations on programmes.

The breakdown of EU assistance for 2007-10 is as follows (in million Euro):

transition assistance/institutions 946.9;

cross-border co-operation 34.4;

regional development 762.1;

human resources 222.1; and

rural development 290.5

Rural development spending will initially be focused on 20 provinces in Turkey, of which 16 are in the eastern half of the country, but will later expand to provide national coverage. Regional development and human resources funding will be spent in areas with less than 75 per cent of the national average gross domestic product.

There is no specific funding line for urban regeneration, but individual projects—for example, one focusing on the Fener area of Istanbul and another tackling the worst forms of child labour—will have a direct impact on poorer urban communities.