Touring Europe with the National Youth Theatre Clive Sinclair And
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No.ll Touring Europe with the National Youth Theatre Clive Sinclair and the 4-chip market leader A chance to settle Britain's EEC budget grievance EUROPE81 A not-so-simple matter of addition and subtraction Published by the Commission of the Our second report on Northern Ireland, starting opposite, touches on European Communities, 20 Kensington the question of'additionality'. This awkward term has come to mean Palace Gardens, London W8 4QQ. Tel: 01-727 8090 the principle by which funds from the European Community are- or should be- passed on to the intended recipients as extra aid, instead Editor-in-Chief: George Scott Editor: John Greenwood ofbeing pocketed by governments to help meet their own Associate Editor: Denis Thomas commitments in the regions concerned. Design: Lawrence Edwards A committee under the chairmanship ofMme Simone Martin, Printed by Lawrence-Allen Ltd, looking into the special needs of Northern Ireland, has deplored lack Weston-super-Mare, Avon of compliance with the principle of additionality, which it regards as Europe 81 does not necessarily reflect, in all 'the key to genuine economic and social assistance from the particulars, the opinions of the Community Community'. The whole question may surface ifadditional money institutions. Unsigned material may be quoted or reprinted without payment, from the EEC is made available for ta~kling the housing situation in subject to suitable acknowledgement. Northern Ireland, following visits by a group ofMEPs in September. On page 19 this month, we report on theNairobi conference on BelfauOfliu: Windsor House, alternative energy sources, held this summer- a subject on which 9/1 SBedford Street, Belfast BT2 7EG the Community is both active and concerned. Shirley Williams, in an Tel. (0232) 40708 CardiffOffice: 4 Cathedral Road, interview on page 10, reaffirms her belief in the European idea, while CantiffCFI 9SG adding that 'the style ofbureaucracy in the Community is not yet Tel. (0222) 371631 sufficiently adapted to the concept of a citizens' Europe instead of a Edixhvrglc0~t:1 AlvaSueet, Edinbllflb EH2 4PH Europe of governments.' Tel. (031) 225 2058 Our report (page 14) on the success in Europe ofMichael Croft's Associated editions: justly-celebrated National Youth Theatre leads to the thought that EuropeanComiiUIItity, 2100 M Street, NW, Suite 707, Washington DC 20037, USA there might be support for a broader, European enterprise along the Tel. 202 8629500 same lines. There is already a European Youth Orchestra. Perhaps a COiftlfUIItity Repon, 39 Moleswonh Street, European Youth Theatre is not too much to hope for. Dublin 2, Ireland. Tel. 712244 E11rope, 350 Sparks Street, Suite 1110, Ottawa, Ouwio,CanadaKIR 7S8. Tel. (613) 238-6464 30Jcnmd'Ewope, 61 rue des Belles Feuilles, 75782 Paris Cedex 16, France. Tel. 501 58 85 Communita EUJ't~Pea, Via PoU 29, 00187Rome,Italy. Tel. 6789722 EF-4tliJm Gammel Torv 4, Post Box 144, 1004 Copenbqen K, Denmark. Tel14 41401 14 SS 32 EGMaga.nn,Zitdmanusuasse22, 5300Bonn, W.Gmnany Tel. 238041 ComlftllnidadEuropea, Serrano,41-Sa planta Madrid-!, Spain Tel.4741199 EIII'OfXliAi KoiMtit, 2 VassiUssis Sofias, T .K.1602,Atbens 134,Greece Tel. 743 982/3/4 EllitO/orat LunJ~btnlrf, Bltiment Jean Monnet, Luxemboui'J· Kir<:bbera Tel.43011 AortlpaToplulMp,13 BogazSokak Kava.klidere, Ankara, Turkey Te1.27614576 EUROPE81 What next for Northern Ireland? Inevitably, the present violence inNorthern Ireland they represent the people of Northern Ireland as a colours any observer's view of the problems of the whole. They have established a record of mutual Province as a whole. But-fortunately for its agreement on all but a few minor issues in Europe. depressed and divided people-the European This, says Geoffrey Martin, the Commission's Community is concerned with economic and social man in Belfast, 'is one of the most positive-and issues-not sectarian politics-and is making a indeed remarkable-of the events in Northern significant financial contribution to the region. Ireland in the last few years', in sharp contrast to the In time, economic efforts may indirectly achieve the attitude and behaviour of politicians within the results that have so far eluded the politicians. Province on domestic matters. Ifthat sounds wildly optimistic, then consider the This unity of purpose on European issues is all the three members of the European Parliament who more encouraging because two of the three MEPs represent the Province as a single constituency Ian Paisley and John Hume-are also leaders of John Hume, John Teylor and Ian Paisley. They each Northern Ireland parties which hold diametrically belong to different political parties in Ulster; but opposite political views within the Province. urope has already done much for only half that of the Republic of Ireland, it is Northern Ireland. As one of the Com neverthelesshigherthaninitaly(3.6percent) munity's five least prosperous regions Its old industries are ailing. and in the UK as a whole (0.1 per cent). Over Eit has received the highest classifica Its economy is frail. Its 45 per cent of the population is under 25 years tion in Brussels. Large amounts of aid have people are among the least old. been granted (as reported in the last issue) to Northern Ireland lacks energy resources, encourage investment in the Province and prosperous in the Ten. and as a result pays considerably more for its create new jobs. But can more be done? The ROY STEMMAN, in a energy than other parts of the UK. Again, MEPs believe so. because it is on the extreme periphery of the In November 1979, John Hume tabled a second report, sees a Community and of the UK, the Province has motion for a resolution to the European Par glimmer of hope for the to bear the additional cost of transport for its liament on behalf of the Socialist group. This Province-more aid, and a . imports and exports, adding about 10 per cent was referred by the Parliament to the commit to prices. High costs, low incomes, rising tee on regional policy and regional planning, new initiative from Europe unemployment and a growing population which appointed Mrs Simone Martin as chair have kept the standard of living well below man of a sub-committee set up to study ques that ofmost other regions of the Community. tions raised by Mr Hume. John Hume's re Less than SO per cent of families in Ulster solution reminded the European Parliament up to the Commission to decide what to do. own a car. About a third of all homes have that the Community's founders had given it These are the facts which emerged. First, central heating, compared with SS per cent in the task of creating, by establishing an econo unemployment: the number of people with the UK as a whole. And fewer than half the mic community, 'the basis for a broader and out jobs in Northern Ireland by the end of homes are on the telephone. deeper community among people long di 1980 represented 16.3 per cent of the working Nowhere is the poor standard of living vided by bloody conflicts', as he called it. He population - a figure that has since risen to more evident than in housing. An official drew attention to the Community's commit close on 20 per cent. Unemployment is now survey as long ago as 1974 revealed that 20 per ment to reducing economic imbalance among twice as high as the Community average. cent ofNorthern Ireland's houses were statu its members, to the grave economic and social Rural areas in thewestandsouth are the worst torily unfit for human habitation and a further problems of the region, and to the belief that affected, notably aroundNewryandDungan 17 .S per cent in urgent need of attention. In the search for peace in Northern Ireland is non. Belfast-as I reported in the October issue - inseparable from the provision of jobs and Earnings for those with jobs in the Province halfthe houses were found to be insanitary. decent living standards. are lower than elsewhere in the UK: currently These deprivations have led many Ulster His resolution then called on the Commis about 8 per cent less than the national average men and women to seek a better life elsewhere sion to report on the impact of Community (and 59 per cent of the Community average). in the 'United Kingdom or in other parts ofthe membership on Northern Ireland, to review That means that welfare payments are corres Community. They were leaving the Province the outlook for the Province's economy, and pondingly higher than elsewhere in Britain. at the rate of 6,500 a year in the 1960s. r -is to put forward proposals as to how the neces As well as being relatively poorly paid, the figure almost tripled by 1975, no doubt d· :to sary resources should be made available to ~ple of the Province also work the longest the civil unrest, then settled at about 12,000. bring the region up to Community average on hours. It has since dropped to about 7 ,500, due in living standards and employment. There are 1Y2 million people in Northern part to better internal security and the lack of Mrs Martin's subsequent report, and Ireland, some 600,000 of whom form the opportunities elsewhere because of the reces another· produced by a second sub working population. The number is increas sion. The level of emigration is a worrying committee, on social affairs and employment, ing steadily, thanks to a birthrate which is one factor for the Province, since it is concen chaired by Mrs Dekker, was unanimously of the highest in Europe. Although the rate of trated on the young and skilled.