§ Mr. Carsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the grants made available to the Strathearn Audio firm from public funds; and on what dates they were made.
§ Mr. ConcannonThe Northern Ireland Department of Commerce has paid £284,059 in grants towards the cost of plant, machinery and equipment purchased by the company; of this amount £240,000 was paid on 14th July 1977 and £44,059 on 11th August 1977. Grants of £42,806 in respect of interest payments upon loan capital and of £133,875, designed to defray start-up costs and related to the average employment provided by the company, were paid on 13th October 1977. Financial assistance has also been provided to the company by the Northern Ireland Department of Manpower Services under its various training schemes during the period from 1974 to 1977 as follows:
£ Training on employers' premises scheme 97,120 Special capitation scheme 1,477 Management structure grant scheme 45,953 NI training council bursary scheme 875 Management consultancy fees 26,500 Total 171,925 In addition the company has received £63,607 from the European Social Fund.