§ Mr. Normantonasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the working of the Industry Act, with particular reference to the categories of industrial activities which qualify for grants, and state whether his Department has experienced difficulty in drawing the line between a manufacturing operation and a service operation.
§ Mr. HefferThe annual report on the working of the Industry Act for the year 1973–74 will be published in about three months' time. Several different kinds of grant are payable under the Act.
For regional development grants the Act differentiates between broad classes of manufacturing and service activities by reference to the Standard Industrial Classification. Service industry projects which provide at least 10 jobs may be considered for selective assistance under Part II of the Act, which may take the form of grants, if there is a genuine choice of location between the assisted areas and elsewhere. For this purpose service industries are, in general, determined by reference to the Standard Industrial Classification.