§ Mrs. Rumboldasked the Secretary of State for Wales what measures his Department has taken to encourage the setting up of small businesses in the period since October 1983.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsMy Department has continued to encourage the setting up of small businesses in Wales against the background of the very wide range of measures introduced by this Government to facilitate the establishment of small companies and to ease the burdens on them. The Welsh Office carries this out directly through the administration of the small firms information centre and of the European regional development fund's assistance for small and medium sized enterprises in steel closure zones in Wales out of which support of more than £500,000 has been paid since last October. In addition the Welsh Development Agency administers the counselling service in Wales and the agency, Mid Wales Development and the Wales Tourist Board continue to provide a range of advisory services to small firms. The agency has recently launched a youth initiative programme the aim of which is to encourage sixth formers to consider self employment and it is helping to fund a graduate enterprise programme in conjunction with Mid Wales Development and the Manpower Services Commission. I continue to encourage the enterprise agencies in Wales. My hon. Friend, the Minister of State, has been pursuing an initiative aimed at encouraging local support for small enterprise in rural areas. I have also approved for 1984–85 over £7 million new urban programme expenditure for economic schemes designed to achieve economic regeneration and job creation and much of this expenditure will specifically assist the establishment of small businesses.