HC Deb 22 January 1985 vol 71 cc367-8W
Mr. Foulkes

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing for each year from 1984–85 to 1991–92 the following information, calculated on the same basis as table 4.1 in Cmnd. 9143-II, for regional development grant and selective assistance to individual industries, firms and undertakings (a) the total amounts available, (b) the amount likely to be claimed by all projects which will benefit from the transitional arrangements and (c) the net amount available under the new scheme to new projects.

Mr. Trippier

Projections other than those published in Cmnd. 9143 are not yet available. The White Paper on public expenditure from 1985–86 to 1987–88 is expected to be published very shortly and will give information up to the year 1987–88. Payments under old RDG in respect of expenditure defrayed before 29 November 1984, or of assets provided before 29 November 1985 should be very small by 1988–89 as claims have to be made within two years of the end of the quarter in which the asset is provided. However payments in respect of assets provided as part of certain projects in receipt of selective assistance whose eligibility for the old scheme of regional development grant has been preserved by the transitional provisions may continue until some time after these projects are completed. Payments under the new RDG scheme are expected to increase over the next few years.