§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what percentage in money terms of assistance under the Industry Act 1973 was granted in 1974 to the latest convenient date to firms with less than 200 employees;
(2)how many applications for aid under the Industry Act 1973 and for what value are pending at the latest convenient date.
(3)if he will list the number and value of advances made under the Industry Act 1973 in 1974; and how many and of what value were made contrary to the advice of the Industrial Advisory Board or the regional industrial advisory boards.
§ Mr. Gregor MackenzieThe following assistance has been made available under the Industry Act 1972 between 1st January and 30th November 1974:
Part I: £171 million was paid against 31,569 applications for regional development grants. A further 10,042 applications are under consideration.
580WPart II: Section 7: 860 offers of regional selective assistance worth £180 million were made in respect of 742 projects expected to provide about 60.000 new jobs and to safeguard a further 40,000. Another 600 applications totalling £160 million involving 39,000 new and 32.000 existing jobs are under consideration. Payments made total £40 million
Section 8: Offers totalling £11 million were made in respect of four projects. These offers were additional to the sums made available under the wool textile industry scheme and the North Sea credit scheme, details of which were announced to the House on 19th July and 6th November 1973, respectively. A further 14 applications are under consideration. Payments made total £4 million.
Part III: Section 11: Grants totalling £11.6 million were paid for construction of ships and mobile offshore installations.
Three offers of assistance totalling £10 million were made against the advice of the Industrial Development Advisory Board and, in one of these instances, against the advice of a regional industrial development board.
I regret that separate information about assistance paid to firms with less than 200 employees is not available.