§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total number of additional jobs created by the Highlands and Islands Development Board since its inception to date; what has been the cumulative total of expenditure of public funds by the board to date; and what is the ratio between the two.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe total expenditure by the Highlands and Islands Development Board to 31st March, 1972 is £13,825,057 financed from grants-in-aid totalling £11,671,700, and revenue mainly in the form of repayment of capital loans and interest, totalling £2,153.357.
206WThe estimated number of jobs created as a result of approved grants and loans totalling £10,871,999 is approximately 6,400. It is not possible to quantify the number of jobs created or saved through other activities of the Board. Any direct arithmetical ratio would therefore be misleading.
Mr. Maclennan asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has received from the Highlands and Islands Development Board affecting the Board's capacity to give special grants to development projects; what proposals he has received from the
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe Highlands and Islands Development Board has represented to me that its capacity to offer special incentives, particularly its special grant, should remain unimpaired. These representations are being fully taken into account in the discussions which are currently taking place about collaboration between the Board and the Scottish Industrial Development Office of the Department of Trade and Industry.