§ 60 and 61. Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many claims for expenditure incurred under contract before 27th October, 1970, by companies in development areas have been refused by the Department to date; what is the total sum involved; and how many of the claims originate from firms in the Northern Region and West Cumberland, respectively;
(2) how many companies are still in negotiation with his Department concerning expenditure incurred by them under contract made before 27th October, 1970. 287W and which they claim satisfies the relevant criteria; and what is the total sum involved;
(3) how many companies in the Northern Region are still in negotiation with his Department concerning expenditure incurred by them under contract made before 27th October, 1970, and which they claim satisfies the relevant criteria; and what are the corresponding figures for firms in West Cumberland and the Whitehaven constituency.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantInformation in the precise form requested is not available but on 10th November about 7,300 applications in respect of plant and machinery were being processed involving estimated grant payment of about £91 million. The figures for the Billingham office which handles most of the Northern Region applications were 1,146 and £22 ¼ million, respectively. Grant amounting to about £124 million had already been paid in respect of plant and machinery as against about £160 million claimed on these processed applications.