§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has for each of the years of the existence of BES on(a) the regional distribution of BES funds and the regional distribution of small firms, (b) the distribution of BES investments by two digit standard industrial classification, or as detailed as possible and (c) the average size of investment.
§ Mr. LilleyInformation on the companies receiving investments through the business expansion scheme is published in chapter 7 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1989". Further information that is readily available is as follows:
Companies receiving BES investments, 1987–88 Industry Number of companies Amount of investment £ million Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry 21 9 Fishing 20 6 Manufacture of Metals, Minerals and Chemicals 28 3 Mechanical Engineering 26 2 Electrical and Electronic Engineering 50 5 Manufacture of Transport Equipment 20 7 Instrument Engineering 20 2 Food and Drink Industry 30 2 Textile, Clothing, Footwear Industry 23 1 Manufacture of Paper and Paper Products 38 3 Other Manufacturing Industries 47 4 Construction and Real Estate 45 34 Wholesale Distribution 34 6 Retail Distribution 87 27 Distribution and Repair of Motor Vehicles 24 3 Hotels and Catering 70 38 Transport and Storage Services 27 1 Business, Professional and Technical Services 68 6 Medical, Educational and Social Services 36 30 Recreational, Hairdressing and Personal Services 56 4 Others 12 2 Total 782 195 The average size of investment per company is as follows:
£ thousand 1983–84 147 1984–85 183 1985–86 224 1986–87 226 1987–88 256 11988–89 180 1 Provisional.