HC Deb 14 January 1977 vol 923 cc628-9W
Mr. Warren

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what effect Draft Instrument R/2697/76 of 12th November 1976 concerning a proposed EEC Council decision on a four-year programme for the development of data processing in the Community will have on existing Government support schemes for the United Kingdom computer hardware and software industries and on United Kingdom regional aid schemes when such direct and regional aid schemes do not complement those schemes contained in the proposed EEC four year programme.

Mr. Alan Williams

The Commission's proposals recognise the existence of national support schemes for the hardware and software industries and envisage complementing them with a Community programme. The content of the Community programme and the scope for co-ordination with national efforts will be discussed in the forthcoming examination of the Commission's proposals through the normal Council procedures. Questions of regional aid are unlikely to arise in this context.

Mr. Warren

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how the proposed contribution by the United Kingdom to the programme for the years 1978 to 1981 inclusive as set out in Draft Instrument R/2697/76 of 12th November 1976 concerning a proposed Council decision on a four year programme for the development of data processing in the Community compares with the sums of monies spent during the last three financial years and budgeted for expenditure in the current financial year by Her Majesty's Government; and what would be the total United Kingdom expenditure envisaged by Her Majesty's Government and by the EEC in the United Kingdom in the years in 1978 to 1981 in the areas covered by the proposals.

Mr. Alan Williams

The EEC Commission's proposals for a four-year programme to develop the European data processing industry have still to be discussed through the normal Council procedures; the coverage and cost of the programme are therefore not yet firm. The United Kingdom share of the programme as set out in the Commission's document would be about £11½ million in total for the years 1978 to 1981, including some support for the electronic components industry. United Kingdom Government expenditure in support of the United Kingdom data processing industry is expected to total some £50 million in the years 1973–74 to 1976–77 inclusive. The total provision for such Government expenditure in the years covered by the Commission's proposals has not yet been established. It is not possible to estimate how much of the EEC support might be spent in the United Kingdom.