§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Australian Government about future canned fruit exports to this country; and what assurances he has given.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI have been asked to reply.
The future of Australian canned fruit exports to this country was among the topics discussed at official level at talks with Australian experts in April and June.
GOVERNMENT PREFERENTAL ASSISTANCE TO INDUSTRY IN WAVES 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 £m. £m. £m. £m. £m. £m. £m. £m. Payments of Assistance under the Local Employment Acts* … … … 1.0 1.0 1.2 3.3 6.4 10.5 11.7 13.3 Investments Grants Differential (estimated) … … … — — — — 9.0 14.0 15.0 21.0 Regional Employment Premium … … … — — — — 3.9 12.2 13.2 14.1 Selective Employment Tax Additional Payment … — — — — — 3.0 3.4 0.9 DEM Assistance to Industrial Training (excluding Government Training Centres) … — — neg. neg. 0.1 0.5 1.0 1.1 TOTAL … … … 1.0 1.0 1.2 3.3 19.4 40.2 44.3 50.4 *Includes loans and provision of Government factories. Notes: (i) The regional differential element in investment grants is shown, not the total amount of investment grants paid in Wales. (ii) The Selective Employment Tax additional payment was withdrawn outside development areas from the beginning of 1968–69 and withdrawn altogether from the beginning of 1970–71. (iii) The amounts shown for training represents the preferential element of expenditure only. (iv) It is not possible to give a regional breakdown of the value of free depreciation on plant and machinery in the four years 1964–65 to 1967–68. The figures for all assisted areas amounted to £3 million in 1964–65. £45 million in 1965–66, £25 million in 1966–67 and £4 million in 1967–68.