§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what powers Dunbartonshire Enterprise made a grant to the Royal Northern yacht club, Rhu, for stone cleaning and minor stone repairs; what was the amount of the grant; and how many permanent jobs were created as a result.
§ Mr. StewartThe payment was made under the local enterprise company's delegated authority and questions about the project would be best addressed to its chairman. However, I understand Dunbartonshire Enterprise agreed in December 1991 to provide grant assistance of £49,786, representing less than 15 per cent. of the total cost of the project, towards the refurbishment of the Royal Northern yacht club. The statutory authority for the payment was section 6 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990.
Job creation is not necessarily the criterion by which environmental expenditure is justified; but Dunbartonshire Enterprise suggests that the refurbishment project safeguarded the jobs of five full-time and 11 part-time staff.