§ Mr. Spearingasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent it is his practice to make available the names of persons, firms or bodies to which moneys are made payable by the Government in the form of subsidies or grants, other than general consumer or similar subsidies.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe general position is that such payments, whether made under legislation or otherwise, are the subject of Supply Estimates approved by the House of Commons. It is normal practice to state the name of the recipient of a subsidy or grant in the Estimates, either individually, e.g., assistance to International Computers (Holdings) Limited and Govan Shipbuilders Limited 155W —Class IV, 7 1975–76; or generally, e.g., miscellaneous payments in respect of individuals—Class II, 5. As regards assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act to firms in the assisted areas, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry on 31st July 1974 in which he undertook to publish quarterly certain information about such assistance.