HC Deb 02 July 1974 vol 876 cc140-1W
Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the current number of applications for industrial development certificates within the West Midlands; and how many square feet of manufacturing space and how many new jobs will be created by these IDCs, if approved.

Mr. Heffer

Forty IDC applications are now under consideration totalling 3,646,473 sq. ft. 3,515 additional employment opportunities are expected to be created.

Mr. Edge

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of industrial development certificates applied for in the West Midlands region in each of the last 10 years; what square footage was involved; how many certificates were granted; and what volume of square footage was approved.

Mr. Heffer

The information available is as follows:

WEST MIDLANDS REGION
Industrial Development Certificates (Schemes of 15,000 sq. ft. and over)
Approvals Refusals
Total Area '000 Total Area '000
Number sq.ft. Number sq.ft.
1964 107 3,139 Not available
1965 103 3,123
1966 128 4,335
1967 139 4,467
1968 176 8,471
1969 190 7,254 9 559
1970 177 6,451 36 1,115
1971 123 4,614 10 265
1972 184 8,408 11 740
1973 221 12,475 12 580

Notes:

(1) No information is available about applications withdrawn.

(2) Exemption limits for industrial development certificates were raised in August 1966, December 1970 and July 1972. To facilitate comparisons, the table relates to industrial development certificates for 15,000 square feet or over.

(3) The definition of industrial building was extended by the Industrial Development Act 1966.