Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what guidance his Department offers to recipients of EU structural funds.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is responsible for EU structural funds policy and regulations. The United Kingdom’s Managing Authorities have responsibility for issuing guidance to recipients of the funds.

In England, the Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Department for Work and Pensions is the Managing Authority for the European Social Fund (ESF).

In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the Devolved Administrations are responsible for the management of the ERDF and ESF programmes.

All the Managing Authorities have websites which give guidance to potential applicants for funding, as well as reports and publicity about their programmes.

The links to the structural funds websites are as follows:-

England

Department for Communities and local Government:

https://www.gov.uk/erdf-national-guidance

Department for Work and Pensions:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/european-social-fund-2007-to-2013#guidance-and-regulations

Northern Ireland

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (ERDF):

http://www.eucompni.gov.uk/

Department of Education and Learning (ESF):

http://www.delni.gov.uk/esf

Scotland

Scottish Government:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/support/17404

Wales

Welsh European Funding Office:

http://wefo.wales.gov.uk/publications/guidance/?lang=en