HC Deb 29 May 1970 vol 801 cc642-3W
Mr. Emery

asked the Minister of Technology if he will set out for each of the years 1964–65 to 1969–70 the amount spent on differential assistance to the development areas, in assistance under the Local Employment Acts, building and investment grants, regional employment

COST OF PREFERENTIAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOPMENT AREAS
(AND FORMER DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS)
£ million
1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–701 1970–71(estimated)
Payments of assistance under the Local Employment Acts* 27.3 29.1 43.3 43.7 50.7 58.4 71.1
[of which Building Grants amounted to (5.4) (9.7) (12.6) (16.7) (17.5) (21.5) (20.0)]
Investment Grants Differential (estimated)2 — — — 72 84 96 110
Regional Employment Premium (estimated) — — — 34.5 103 109 106
Selective Employment Tax Additional Payment (estimated)3 — — — — 25 28.6 7
DEP Assistance to Industrial Training (excluding Government Training Centres) — neg. 0.8 0.9 2.5 4.3 4.4
Highland and Islands Development Board — 0.1 0.1 1.5 2.0 2.6 3.0
Refund of SET to Hotels in certain Rural parts of Development Areas — — — — 0.5 1.8 2.0
Development Commission Loans to Small Hotels — — — neg. 0.4 0.8 0.9
Free Depreciation2 3 45 25 4 neg. — —
Total 30.3 74.2 69.2 156.6 268.1 301.5* 304.4
(rounded) 31 75 70 157 268 302 304
Clearance of Derelict Land4 0.5 0.4 0.5 1.0 1.3 1.8 2.4
These figures refer to estimated payments.
* Offers of assistance under the Local Employment Acts in 1969–70 (a more up to date indicator than payments) rose to £82.9 much of which will result in payments in later years. On the basis of these commitments total preferential assistance in 1969–70 amounts to £326.5m.
1 Latest provisional figures.
2 The regional differential element in investment grants shown here (not the total amount of investment grants to the DAs) replaces the previous system of free depreciation and plant and machinery grants. Expenditure arising from free depreciation continued under transitional arrangements until 1968–69.
3 The SET additional payment was withdrawn outside development areas from the beginning of 1968–69 and was withdrawn altogether from the beginning of 1970–71.
4 Total grants to local authorities in development areas on clearance of derelict land. It is not possible to give differential figures for this expenditure.