§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Industry what assistance he proposes to offer to encourage further capital investment in the drop forging industry.
Mr. Alan WilliamsI am glad to announce that I propose to make £5 million available initially under a scheme to assist the drop forging industry under Section 8 of the Industry Act 1972. The main features of the scheme will be as follows: a grant of 25 per cent. of the costs of new plant and machinery; a grant of 20 per cent. of the cost of new building work; a grant of 50 per cent. of the cost of approved consultancy studies to identify opportunities for improviding productivity and efficiency.
Eligible companies will be those with an average annual output of drop forgings not exceeding 5,000 tons. Assistance will be available for approved capital investment projects costing between £50,000 and £500,000. Companies undertaking larger projects which would not proceed as proposed without assistance may already apply under the selective investment scheme.
94WI regret that the information requested is not available, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Cowansasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list by name firms in the Northern Region who have obtained Government grant from his Department over the last 10 years; how much grant was received; and in which year it was received.
§ Mr. Cryer,pursuant to his reply[Official Report,7th November 1977; Vol. 938, c. 34–5],gave the following information:
The information is not available in the form requested. However, regional development grants constitute the bulk of grant expenditure paid by my Department and in the financial years 1972–73 to 1976–77 this totalled:
I am placing details of the scheme which will operate with effect from today, in the Library of the House.