§ Mr. Doigasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the financial assistance given to the Robb Caledon shipyards during the last 10 years to the nearest convenient date.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldAs far as Government assistance specific to shipbuilders is concerned, Robb Caledon Shipbuilders Ltd. received a grant of £10,000 under the Shipbuilding Industry Act 1967 for reimbursement of consultants' fees in connection with the merger with the Caledon Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. and a grant of £104,000 towards the expenses of the merger, to help meet disruption costs and to provide workers amenities and welfare facilities. A loan of £400,000 was also made to them under700W the same Act to help meet the cost of reorganisation and for capital expenditure. These grants and loan were paid between 1968 and 1971. Shipbuilding construction grants totalling £1,036,000 have been paid to the company to date under the Industry Act 1972. Shipbuilders' relief—a rebate of taxes currently 2 per cent. of the cost of a ship—has also been available. In addition their subsidiary, Burntisland Engineers and Fabricators Ltd., received a loan of £450,000 under the Industry Act 1972. The company would have qualified, too, for the normal range of assistance available to industry generally including investment grants, regional employment premium and grants available under the Industry Act and Local Employment Acts.