HC Deb 07 November 1995 vol 265 c782W
Mr. John D. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many investors visited the(a) district of Down (b) borough of Castlereagh (c) borough of Ards at the request of the industrial development board in each of the past 10 years and if he will make a statement about the number of new jobs promoted by the IDB in each of these areas. [41908]

Sir John Wheeler

The information requested on the number of visits by investors is not available for all of the period specified and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The table shows the number of IDB sponsored visits by potential investors to the areas concerned between April 1993 and September 1995.

Visits by investors
District Council 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 (to 30 September) Total
Newtownards 10 3 1 14
Castlereagh 5 3 5 13
Down 2 10 3 15

In the past 10 years IDB has promoted a total of 2,863 jobs in the areas concerned as follows:

District council area Down Castlereagh Ards Total
1985–86 10 141 155 306
1986–87 67 168 247 482
1987–88 108 124 298 530
1988–89 318 95 164 577
1989–90 24 404 67 495
1990–91 68 50 118
1991–92 84 149 233
1992–93 18 49 67
1993–94 41 41
1994–95 14 14
Total 527 1,102 1,234 2,863