§ 8. Mr. Franksasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will make a statement about the review of the small workshops scheme.
§ Mr. TrippierA statement will be made when the review of the scheme is complete.
§ Mr. FranksCan my right hon. Friend comment on the success and encouragement of the private sector in the provision of workshops?
§ Mr. TrippierThe scheme has encouraged more private sector provision of workshops, without any doubt. Our preliminary study in 1982 found that the number of small workshops provided each year had probably tripled since the scheme was introduced.
§ Mr. LitherlandThe Minister will be aware that there is something like 19 million sq ft of vacant industrial property in Manchester. If it is not put to good use for small business units or received.-tech, it will fall into dereliction and demolition. What is the Government's policy on the financing of refurbishment?
§ Mr. TrippierThe hon. Gentleman may be impressed to hear that I made a regional official visit to Manchester to see some of the small workshops operating In his constituency and outside it. I found to my great surprise that some of the costs that were to be charged to the small business man were far too high. It has to be recognised that, certainly initially, the rents have to be relatively low to encourage these people to come into small workshops.
§ Mr. BellinghamIs my hon. Friend aware of the considerable interest in the scheme in Norfolk? Does he agree with me that it is imperative to keep it going, if only on a limited scale, applying to a smaller square footage?
§ Mr. TrippierThat is a question for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but I shall draw his attention to the remarks made by my hon. Friend.