HC Deb 22 November 1960 vol 630 c963
25. Mr. H. Wilson

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now lay a White Paper showing the total amount of public money committed to privately owned industries and firms by subsidy, grant or loan, stating in detail the terms and conditions on which such payments have been or are to be made.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

As I have already said, I am prepared to give this information in a convenient form, with the reservation that the details of grants and loans made, for example, under the Local Employment Act, have always been confidential. On the question of when this information will be published, I am considering when it would be most convenient to do this.

Mr. Wilson

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that what he has said about the confidential nature of the information regarding individual firms coming to unemployment areas is probably acceptable to the whole House and that we are not pressing him on that particular?

Mr. Lloyd

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman. I will try to give the information at the most convenient time.