§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information published in the Official Report on 10 January 1977, volume 923, c. 423 concerning trade in capital goods.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe information available is given in the table below. Technical difficulties have precluded the precise updating requested and care should be taken in using the two sets of data together.
December 1981 subject to a ceiling on new borrowing of £200 million. Loans already in the pipeline but not yet advanced will not be counted against this ceiling. Of the £200 million, £60 million will be set aside for loans to smaller firms through the existing agency arrangements. The scheme is now being extended to cover all manufacturing projects in the assisted areas which meet the criteria for regional selective assistance. Premium rates will be 1 per cent. per annum in special development areas and 2 per cent. in development and intermediate areas.