§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the figures of Government aid granted to the separate regions for Operation Eyesore; and if he will specify to what extent the separate cities and towns of Yorkshire and Humberside took advantage of the scheme.
§ Mr. RipponThe estimated cost of approved projects is as follows:
Region Estimated total cost of projects (£000's) Northern 8,690 North-West 17,210 Yorks and Humberside 8,011 East Midlands 1,220 West Midlands 974 South-West 444 Total—England 36,549 Rates of Government grant are 75 per cent. or 85 per cent. according to area; the grant payable on the above total would be about £29 million. In the Yorkshire and Humberside Region 118 authorities participated in the scheme; a full list was given in my reply on 18th June to the hon. Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall).
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the extent to which Operation Eyesore helped employment in the various regions and the expenditure involved per employed person; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RipponI can make no estimate of the direct employment effects of the scheme, but expenditure of over £36 million is bound to have provided a large number of jobs which would not otherwise have been provided. Unemployment in the assisted areas is now substantially lower than it was when Operation Eyesore was introduced in February 1972.