HC Deb 19 May 1977 vol 932 c264W
Mr. Edward Lyons

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what financial support has been given by his Department to the main frame computer industry for each year since 1968.

Mr. Cryer

The following payments were made to ICL Ltd. under the Computers Merger Scheme 1968, and the Science and Technology Act 1965. The final payment was made on 30th September 1976.

£million
1968–69 4.35
1969–70 4.0
1970–71 3.25
1971–72 2.25
1972–73 11.95
1973–74 9.45
1974–75 10.2
1975–76 8.3
1976–77 3.25

In addition, some of the assistance given under more general support schemes for the computer industry went to the mainframe manufacturers. It would be impracticable to separate this, but the total assistance under these schemes—Advanced Computer Technology Project and shared cost development contracts—was:

£ million
1968–69 0.8
1969–70 0.7
1970–71 1.0
1971–72 0.7
1972–73 0.8
1973–74 2.3
1974–75 1.0
1975–76 0.7
1976–77 0.9