HC Deb 19 March 1969 vol 780 cc485-6
32. Mr. Robert Howarth

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will extend the scope of the industrial development grant available to the leather industry for effluent cleansing processes to allow it to be transferred to the appropriate local authority so that the processing of domestic and industrial effluent might be undertaken in the most economic manner.

Mr. Dell

No, Sir. Evidence has not been produced which would, in my view, justify the radical amendment to the Industrial Development Act which this would require.

Mr. Howarth

Is it not illogical to offer to an employer grants towards the installation of cleansing plant which, if it could be transferred to a local authority, would be able to be used as a district plant, making it much more economic?

Mr. Dell

Under the Industrial Development Act payments must be made to persons who both provide the eligible assets and use them in the course of their business. There might be an argument for reviewing this in this case if evidence were produced that this rule has led to uneconomic investment in effluent plant by the leather industry. I have no such evidence, and pending that I will certainly stick to the original Answer.

Mr. Tom Boardman

Is the Minister aware that the leather industry has been encouraged to set up its own individual plant for disposal of trade effluent so that it gets the grant? Does he not agree that it could be much more economically achieved by the local authority if it had the plant?

Mr. Dell

It is evidence of that particular proposition that I should like to see. We have asked for such evidence but it has not been provided.