§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for each of the last six years and the current year the number of jobs created and the number of firms setting up in Northern Ireland, indicating how many in each year were the result of investment from outside Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe figures for jobs promoted by the industrial development agencies for the last six financial years are as follows: 197W
Total jobs promoted Jobs promoted through inward investment Industrial Development Board 1985–86 2,910 224 1986–87 4,187 415 1987–88 5,300 867 1988–89 5,653 1,856 1989–90 5,131 1,977 1990–91 4,402 1,294 Local Enterprise Development Unit 1985–86 3,888 n.a. 1986–87 4,244 n.a. 1987–88 4,047 n.a. 1988–89 4,581 n.a. 1989–90 5,510 n.a. 1990–91 6,004 n.a. The number of firms setting up in Northern Ireland as indicated by VAT registrations over the past six calendar years are as follows:
Number 1985 3,700 1986 3,300 1987 3,400 1988 3,600 1989 3,900 1990 3,600 1991 n.a. n.a.= Not available.
The place of origin of a firm and the initial number of jobs created cannot be determined from VAT returns.