§ 1. Mr. Tilneyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what aid he is at present giving to the ship repairing industry in Great Britain.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Mr. Anthony Grant)The ship repair industry, in common with other industries, receives taxation allowances on capital expenditure and regional employment premium. It shares with the shipbuilding industry Customs concessions on imported materials. Under the Industry Bill it will be eligible for regional development grant and selective assistance.
§ Mr. TilneyIs my hon. Friend aware that the shipbuilding and ship repairing industries are quite different, that both are strategically important to this country and that because of the standby the ship repairing industry is bleeding to death?
§ Mr. GrantI realise that the industries are different and I understand the difficulties of the ship repairing industry. However, what they have in common is that they will both benefit from the Industry Bill which is now before the House.
Mr. R. C. MitchellWill the hon. Gentleman take special note of the ship repairing industries in areas outside development areas, like Southampton, which are experiencing considerable difficulty in making themselves go?
§ Mr. GrantI appreciate what the hon. Gentleman says. But the greater difficulties are in the assisted areas where there is a high degree of unemployment and not as great a diversity of industry as there is in the non-assisted areas.