§ Mr. Edgeasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will now report the outcome of the National Enterprise Board's discussions on financing the construction of machine tools for stock.
§ Mr. VarleyI am glad to say that the discussions which the National Enterprise Board has been holding with the Machine Tool Trades Association have, I understand, reached a satisfactory conclusion. The Board has told the industry that it is willing to consider applications from individual companies for the provision of finance on commercial terms for building machine tools for stock. Applications will be considered on their merits by the Board in the light of its normal criteria, and the form of finance to be provided will depend on the circumstances of particular cases. This should offer the industry a valuable supplement to the benefit it is already getting through orders stimulated by the various schemes of assistance under the Industry Act.