§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 19 March 1996,Official Report, columns 167–68, to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Cummings) if he will list the advantages which will be given to the area by virtue of the creation of an enterprise zone; and how long it has taken from the first proposal for such a zone to the date of coming into effect of such a status. [22382]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 22 March 1996]: The benefits available to businesses during the 10-year life of an enterprise zone are the following: 100 per cent. allowances for corporation tax purposes for capital expenditure on industrial and commercial buildings: exemption from the national non-domestic rate on industrial and commercial property; a simplified planning regime; speedier administration of residual statutory planning controls; exemption from industrial training levies and from the requirements to supply information to industrial training boards; processing applications for certain customs facilities as a priority, and the relaxation of certain criteria; and the reduction of government requests for statistical information. Enterprise zones can effect economic activity over a wide area through displacement effects and are not the appropriate regeneration measure in most circumstances.
The Government announced that they would consider the case for new enterprise zones at Easington in County Durham on 29 March 1993; zones in that area were designated on 29 November 1995.