§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Industry what action the Government have taken to support the Mullard investment programme and the Radio Council initiative of October 1977.
Mr. Alan WilliamsWith a £4.5 million grant provided by the Government under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 Mullard has launched a £24 million, three-year investment plan to modernise the manufacturing facilities at the company's tube assembly plant at Durham, and to establish a new 20" 90° tube production line at its Simonstone plant. Investment at Simonstone will total £13.1 million and at Durham £7.8 million. 955W Further investments of £2.4 million will be made at Washington, which makes the neck components for the tubes and £0.9 million at Crossens where the incorporated magnetic components are produced.
By specialising in the production of 20" and 22" tubes, Mullard will be well placed to meet the growing demand within the EEC for tube sizes below 26".
The Government have consistently stated their determination to maintain a viable colour television tube making capacity in the United Kingdom.
In order to assist this major investment programme, the Government reaffirms its support for the Radio Industry Council initiative of October 1977 under which United Kingdom set-makers agreed to increase their use of United Kingdom made tubes, in particular the 22" tube. The Government are taking steps both to enable United Kingdom set-makers to increase their proportion of 22" tubes made in the United Kingdom up to 75 per cent. by 1980 and to monitor systematically the achievement of this objective.