Meaning of "the Treaties" and "the Community Treaties"

Part of Orders of the Day — Clause 1 – in the House of Commons at 8:45 pm on 27 November 1997.

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Photo of Louise Ellman Louise Ellman Labour/Co-operative, Liverpool, Riverside 8:45, 27 November 1997

I reject the hon. Gentleman's central contention, and I shall specifically answer his points about eligible regions.

My experience of eligible regions in this country is that the sensitive application of European funding has produced greater business investment, enabled essential skills training to take place and helped to redevelop major areas of our country. Specifically, I have seen representations to the European Commission and the European Parliament result in the setting up of the vital Konver fund, which has directly benefited areas of this country where the local economy was undermined by the running down of defence industries under the previous Government.

I have seen European funds working with the private sector in the objective 1 area of Merseyside, where the innovative special investment fund has used European funding with private sector money to support small and medium enterprises in a way not previously done. I have seen, in the north-west region as a whole, the setting up of a network of technology centres that work with the private sector, universities and the voluntary sector to ensure that new technological knowledge is applied in a variety of business concerns and voluntary organisations.