EU FUNDING FOR TWINING TEA

That this House believes that it is absolutely right that businesses choose how to run their affairs, but notes with concern that funding of at least 10 million euros was approved for a subsidiary of R. Twining and Company in Poland under the European Union Structural Fund (European Regional Development Fund), which coincided with a decision by R. Twining and Company to lay off workers from its North Shields factory in the UK; understands that no EU funding should be used to support investments that concern the relocation of production or service facilities from another member state of the EU; and urges Ministers to make immediate and firm representations about this use of UK taxpayers' money to lure British industries to transfer to other EU countries with consequent loss of jobs and trade in the United Kingdom.