§ LORD AVEBURYasked Her Majesty's Government:
Under what heading launching aid and other forms of assistance to the computer industry is included in the White Paper on Public Expenditure 1976–77, Cmnd. 5178, and whether they will give a breakdown of payments of this kind, and receipts of royalties, if any, for each of the years to 1976–77.
§ LORD DRUMALBYNThe £14.2 million being provided as launching aid to I.C.L. to help sustain the momentum of its R. & D. programme to September, 1973, is included in the forecasts for "Other Services" of the Industrial Development Executive given in Table 2.7 of the White Paper. Of this sum of £14.2 million, £8.8 million is expected to be provided in the current financial year and the balance in 1973–74. The forecasts for "Other Services" which are shown net of receipts, also include provision for other forms of D.T.I. support for the computer industry (including those announced by my right honourable friend the Minister for Industrial Development in another place on August 2, 1972) on which expenditure is likely to be £2 million in 1972–73. Individual projects will be the subject of negotiations with industry and it is not possible to give a more detailed breakdown. Provision in 1972–73 for the payment of the remaining £3.15 million for the Government's shareholding in I.C.L. under the Computers Merger Project 1968 (Cmnd. 3660) is included in "Industrial Invest- 581WA ment Schemes" in the table to which I have referred.