HC Deb 01 August 1978 vol 955 cc289-90W
Mr. Cohen

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to tackle unemployment in Northern Ireland and to attract new industries to the Province.

Mr. Mason

Over the past two years the Government have introduced a number of measures to tackle the underlaying structural problem, to alleviate the worst effects of the present economic recession and to attract new industries to the Province. These measures include:

  1. 1. recruitment and employment subsidies, which have facilitated the provision or retention of some 35,000 jobs in Northern Ireland.
  2. 2. reinforcement of the industrial training programme, which now provides places for some 4,500 people. Moreover, through the provision of grant-aid to firms, the Government contribute to the training or retraining of over 6,000 people.
  3. 3. increased employment in Enterprise Ulster, which currently provides some 1,970 jobs.
  4. 4. the retention of the selective employment premium, which has saved some 10,000 jobs in industry.
  5. 5. the introduction of a youth opportunities programme to increase the number of training and work experience opportunities available for young people.
  6. 6. significant improvments in the Northern Ireland package of selective financial assistance to industry, which have already contributed to several very encouraging investment decisions.
  7. 7. a new research and development scheme, enabling grants of up to 50 290 per cent. to be made towards research and development expenditure by Northern Ireland companies.
  8. 8. the strengthening of the Government's overseas promotional capability, particularly in the United States.
  9. 9. measures to attract major international companies to locate in areas of exceptionally high unemployment.
  10. 10. the reduction of electricity tariffs to industrial consumers.
  11. 11. a major advance factory building programme to provide facilities for new industrial development.
  12. 12. the appointment by the local enterprise development unit of a self-help adviser and the introduction by the unit of a package of financial assistance aimed at encouraging and making more effective the work of co-operatives.
  13. 13. increased emphasis on the role of the Northern Ireland Development Agency (NIDA) in identifying products which could be introduced into existing manufacturing companies and which could form the basis of a state industry in an unemployment blackspot.
  14. 14. the steady development by NIDA of other aspects of its activities, including the establishment of a management bank and marketing service.

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