Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his announcement of 13 August 2016 on guaranteeing EU funding beyond the date the UK leaves the EU, whether funding for the National Offender Management European Social Fund Co-financing Programme is guaranteed.

Damian Hinds

In his announcement on 13 August the Chancellor guaranteed that structural and investment funds projects, including ESF, signed before the Autumn Statement, would be fully funded. The agreement with the National Offender Management Service is covered by this guarantee. The Chancellor extended the guarantee in his announcement on 3 October. The Chancellor confirmed that the government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU provided that these deliver good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

The administration of the European Social Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Where the devolved administrations sign up to structural and investment fund projects under their current EU budget allocation prior to leaving the EU, the government has confirmed that it will ensure they are funded to meet the announced commitments.