§ Mr. Kenneth Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms were in receipt of (a) regional development grant and (b) selective assistance to individual industries, firms and undertakings, in 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78 and 1978–79; and how many jobs are estimated to have been saved or created in each of these years by (i) payment of regional development grant and (ii) payment of selective assistance to individual industries, firms and undertakings.
§ Mr. David Mitchell,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16 July], gave the following answer:
Information on the number of firms obtaining regional development grant under part I of the Industry Act 1972 is not readily available. Such grants are not in any case linked to employment.
The number of firms and undertakings receiving offers of assistance under part II of the Industry Act 1972 is as follows:
Year Section 7 Section 8 1972–73 … 111 — 1973–74 … 795 13 1974–75 … 731 127 1975–76 … 766 169 1976–77 … 939 546 1977–78 … 1,038 836 1978–79 … 1,116 1,948 Information is available on the estimated employment associated with projects supported under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, but the proportion of these projects which would have gone ahead without assistance is not known. Under the new criteria for section 7, we shall ensure that assistance is provided only for those projects where it can be clearly demonstrated that it is needed for the project to go ahead and will provide more efficient and secure jobs.
17WGrants under section 8 of the Act are not directly linked to employment.