§ 78. Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is the total financial support, in grants, loans, advance factories and training provisions for the development areas and the Northern Region, respectively, for the period 1965 to 1967; what is the current annual rate; and how this compares with the average annual provision for the 10 years preceding 1964.
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Mr. Alan WilliamsThe total amounts of assistance made available under the Local Employment Acts in the period from 1st April, 1965, to 1st April, 1967, in the development areas (or districts) and in the Northern Region, were £97.7 million and £29.5 million respectively. Comparable average annual amounts in the period from 1st April, 1960 to 31st March, 1964 were £30.2 million and £5.5 million respectively. These figures do not include investment grants and the Regional Employment Premium, nor the earlier arrangements for free depreciation.
The Ministry of Labour's assistance to firms in development areas for industrial training in the period from 1st April, 1965 to 1st April, 1967 totalled £860,000 in all of which £260,000 was in the Northern Region. These figures do not fully reflect the improvement in the grant system introduced on 1st April, 1966 and 16th October, 1967. Prior to 1st September, 1964 grants for training were paid under the Local Employment Acts. The cost cannot be separately distinguished.