§ Mr. Wattasked the Secretary of State for Industry what sum of money the British Treasury has received from EEC sources as payment of the 50 per cent. industrial manufacturers grant payable against individual applications; what sums have been passed on to the applicants; and what sums have been retained by the Treasury.
§ Mr. CryerOnly Governments may apply to the Regional Development Fund. The fund may contribute up to 50 per cent. of national regional aids paid by Governments to approved industrial projects and up to 30 per cent. of public expenditure on infrastructure projects.
My Department, the Welsh Office, Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Department of Commerce seek fund assistance towards the cost of national expenditure on industrial projects and any receipts are appropriated-in-aid of the regional industrial Vote of the relevant Department. Since the inception of the fund in 1975, £33.6 million has been received from the Commission in respect of national expenditure on industrial projects. These receipts will enable the Government to go ahead with more regional investment than could have been managed otherwise.