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The European Structural and Cohesion Funds

Government announcement on future Structural Funds spending in the UK: 23 October 2006

On 23 October, the Government published a response to consultation on future Structural Funds spending in the UK. This followed a nationwide consultation on the Funds from February to May 2006.

The consultation invited comments on a draft National Strategic Reference Framework, establishing the strategy for future Structural Funds Programmes. The Government also sought views on the methodology for allocating its €6.2 billion of Competitiveness Objective and on the administrative arrangements for delivering the Funds from 2007 to 2013.

The consultation attracted over 300 responses from across the UK. The response to consultation provides a detailed summary of stakeholders' views. It also sets out the Government's approach to allocating the Competitiveness funding. The Government has developed an objective approach to dividing the funds, based on indicators of economic need including levels of innovation, entrepreneurship, skills, employment and GVA.

The response explains the Government's plans for delivering the Funds in England. The RDAs and the Regional Skills Partnerships will play a greater role in delivering the funds, helping to align EU spending with our domestic strategies for regional development.

Along with the response to consultation, the Government published the UK's completed National Strategic Reference Framework for future Structural Funds Programmes. The Framework establishes three high-level themes for future spending: innovation and enterprise, employment and skills, and environmental and community sustainability.