I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 19 together.
Approximately £270,000 is being spent this year in meeting the Government's share of the costs of projects included in the EC Poverty Programme. I will make available separately a breakdown of the expenditure involved in this case.
It took somewhat longer than expected to set up the Combat Poverty Agency with the result that it has only been in operation since September last. The agency immediately set about identifying projects working in the area of poverty and community development which merit support and encouragement and proposals about these were submitted to me. I was glad to be able to respond positively and speedily and I recently announced that I have approved grants totalling £515,000 to 55 organisations engaged in work relating to poverty on foot of the proposals. I will also make available separately a list of the organisations and the amounts of the grants involved.
There are clearly many more projects and initiatives around the country which the agency will be progressively identifying but in the short period available in the present financial year it has not been possible to go any further. I am satisfied, however, that a good and worthwhile start has been made. For the future I look forward to working out with the agency a programme of ongoing support for projects of this kind.