HC Deb 22 April 1975 vol 890 cc249-50W
Mr. Geraint Howells

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied with the state of industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gregor Mackenzie

We are well aware of the need to stimulate industrial

OVERSEAS NET DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM*
Investment by 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966
£ million
USA 86 186 95 104 116 151 155
Eight other members of the EEC 4 18 2 10 18 15 11
Rest of the world 45 32 33 46 28 31 29
All countries 135 236 130 160 162 197 195
As a percentage of total
USA 63.6 78.9 72.7 64.8 71.9 76.6 79.3
Eight other members of the EEC 2.7 7.6 1.9 6.3 11.3 7.4 5.7
Rest of the world 33.7 13.5 25.4 28.9 16.8 16.0 15.0
All countries 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Investment by 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973
£ million
USA 94 208 204 223 283 251 361
Eight other members of the EEC 48 26 32 57 37 42 106
Rest of the world 28 40 83 74 125 91 215
All countries 170 274 319 354 445 384 682
As a percentage of total
USA 55.3 76.0 64.1 62.9 63.7 65.5 53.0
Eight other members of the EEC 28.2 9.5 10.1 16.3 8.3 10.9 15.5
Rest of the world 16.5 14.5 25.8 20.8 28.0 23.6 31.5
All countries 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
* Excluding oil and insurance.

investment in areas such as Wales and our industrial and regional policies give this high priority. When the Welsh Development Agency, the National Enterprise Board and the planning agreements system come into operation we shall be able to do still more. Furthermore, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer last week the Government are introducing special schemes to encourage firms to bring forward certain categories of investment and to help certain industries with modernisation plans.

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