HC Deb 16 December 1981 vol 15 cc143-4W
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give the figures for total expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry for each year since 1977–78 in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Great Britain; if he will break the figures down to show the various sources of the assistance; and if, in each case, he will give for Scotland and for Wales the percentages, taking England as base.

Mr. MacGregor

Gross expenditure for the years 1977–78 to 1980–81 on regional preferential assistance to industry in Scotland, Wales and Great Britain is as follows:

£ million
1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81
Scotland 146 160 142 197
Wales 91 111 110 177
Great Britain 507 628 562 731

The main items of regional preferential assistance to industry in 1980–81 are as follows:

£ million
Scotland Wales Great Britain
Regional development grant 113 104 491
Selective financial assistance (section 7) 21 7 *71
Scotland Wales Great Britain
Land and factories:
(i) Local Employment Act assistance 34
(ii) Scottish and Welsh
Development Agencies: 47 60 107
Highlands and Islands
Development Board 11 11
Other items† 4 6 17
Total 197 177 731
* Includes some expenditure which cannot be broken down to a regional level.
† The other items cover tourism, small firms employment subsidy—regional preferential element—expenditure by the Development Board for Rural Wales.

Using the expenditure in England as a base the indices for Scotland and Wales are as follows:

1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81
England 100 100 100 100
Scotland 54 45 46 56
Wales 34 31 35 50