§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out in the Official Report full details of assistance available from central and local government to small manufacturing firms setting up or expanding in the Cwmbran area.
§ Mr. Alec JonesCwmbran lies within the Welsh intermediate area. Small manufacturing firms setting up or expanding there are eligible for the full range of Government incentives appropriate to intermediate areas. Briefly, these include regional development grant amounting to 20 per cent. of building costs; selective financial assistance, usually by way of loans or interest relief grants; two-year rent-free periods of factories provided by the Welsh Development Agency or by the Cwmbran Development Corporation; and small firms employment subsidy of £20 per week for each extra full-time job provided and of a lesser amount in respect of each part time job. Additionally, the Welsh Development Agency provides throughout Wales a wide range of industrial investment and advisory services. The local authorities concerned also have powers under the Local Authorities (Land) Act 1963 to assist industry inclueing powers to advance money on mortgage for the erection of factories.