Aid for UK's poorest regions

Some areas of Britain are classed as Europe's poorest

The UK's poorest regions are expected to be awarded £2.82bn of European aid on Monday.

The money, which is due to be approved by the EU, will be shared between Merseyside, South Yorkshire, West Wales and the Valleys and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The areas are being targeted by Brussels as they have been classed as some of the poorest parts of Europe and given Objective 1 status.

The money will be used "to promote development and structural adjustment", says the Commission.

Apart from Finland, the UK is the only EU country where there has been a rise in the number of people eligible for Objective 1 finance since the last seven-year spending programme - rising from 5.9% of the population to 8.9%.

Needy

The last programme, launched in 1994, placed Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands and Islands and Merseyside in the top funding category.

Of these only Merseyside remains on the league table of the UK's most needy, joined by the four newcomers.

Despite Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands and Islands seeing an up-turn in their economies, they are due to share more than £700m over the next seven years in "transitional" money to soften the blow of losing Objective 1 status.

In addition Northern Ireland is to receive a further EU contribution to the peace process of an estimated £240m.