European Fisheries Fund And UK Operational Programme

EDM number 20 in 2007-08, proposed by Bill Wiggin on 06/11/2007.
Categorised under the topics of Fisheries and EU grants and loans.

That this House expresses concern at the apparent delays the Government is experiencing in preparing and finalising its draft UK operational programme in relation to the £96 million of European Fisheries Fund (EFF) monies the UK is entitled to; is further concerned that the Government may not have the operational programme ready for submission to the European Commission until summer 2008 meaning that EFF monies will not be received by the UK until such time as the European Commission has approved the operational programme, expected to be late 2008; urges the Government and devolved administrations to resolve their differences over the budget split between them and come to an agreement so that the UK operational programme can go out to consultation to stakeholders; notes that 19 out of 26 operational programmes from other EU member states have already been submitted to the European Commission and are awaiting approval; further notes that the European Commission is likely to approve the majority of operational programmes presently submitted by the end of the year meaning that EFF monies will be available to those countries; and calls upon the Government to ensure that the UK operational programme is consulted upon and finalised at the earliest opportunity.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs.