§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid by way of regional development grants and regional selective assistance to firms investing in the Merseyside special development area in each year since 1975.
§ Mr. TrippierInformation about regional development grant payments of £25,000 or less could not be provided without a disproportionate use of resources. The available information is given in the following table.
Regional Industrial Assistance paid in respect of the travel-to-work areas of Liverpool, Birkenhead and Widnes £ million Financial Year Regional Development grant—total of individual payments of over £25,000 Regional Selective Assistance 1975–76 *Not available 4.2 1976–77 25.4 1.5 1977–78 21.7 2.6 1978–79 29.9 5.5 1979–80 29.4 9.8 1980–81 55.9 6.4 1981–82 75.8 5.6 1982–83 65.0 9.6 1983–84† 42.3 6.0 * Details of payments of regional development grants were not collected in the years prior to 1976–77 for individual Employment Office Areas. † 9 months to 31 December 1983.