§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the levels of grant applicable to plant and machinery used for recycling refuse and waste materials in special development areas, in development areas, and in non-development areas, where such plant and machinery is used by public authorities or by private companies to avoid despoliation of open dumping sites; and if it is the Government's intention to review such assistance to help both material and environmental conservation.
§ Mr. Gregor Mackenzie:Regional development grants at the rate of 20 per cent. are available to firms in the development areas—at 22 per cent. in the special development areas—towards the cost of almost all the machinery or plant provided for use in qualifying premises including that provided for recycling refuse and waste materials. For the purposes of determining whether premises are qualifying the processing of scrap and waste materials is itself a qualifying activity. Grants are not available on machinery or plant provided for use outside the development areas nor does the Department make grants to local authorities on the cost of providing machinery or plant.
At present there are no plans to extend the scope of the regional development grant scheme by increasing the assistance available on plant used for recycling refuse and waste materials.