§ Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total amount of grants, loans and other benefits received by firms in the Blackburn area in respect of (a) its status as an intermediate area, and (b) other Industry Act powers for each of the years 1974 to 1978 inclusive; how many jobs were safeguarded or created thereby; and what was the number of firms concerned.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldThe following assistance has been made available to42W Firms in the Blackburn employment exchange area under the Industry Act.
PART I. PAYMENT OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT Year Number of firms Total payment £ 1974 1 25,000 1975 3 153,000 1976 3 204,000 1978 6 357,000
PART II SECTION 7. OFFERS OF REGIONAL SELECTIVE ASSISTANCE Year Number of firms Value of offers £ Estimated total costs of projects £ million Estimated employment safeguarded or create Grants: 1974 2 85,000 1.56 167 1975 5 230,000 5.54 401 1976 2 12,000 0.24 105 1977 12 233,000 2.87 283 1978 8 338,000 11.75 239 Loans: 1974 2 800,000 2.72 550 1975 1 65,000 0.25 10 1976 2 314,000 0.82 120
SECTION 8. OFFERS OF SELECTIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER INDUSTRIAL SECTOR SCHEMES Year Number of firms Value of grants offered £ Estimated total costs of projects £ million 1975 1 205,000 1.05 1976 1 14,000 0.05 1977 3 47,000 0.15 1978 13 1,096,000 5.62 Regional development grant and selective financial assistance under Section 8 are not directly linked to employment. But we estimate that regional selective assistance under Section 7 will lead to the creation or safeguarding of some 1,875 jobs.