§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for Industry if his Department has ever requested any firm which has ceased to use assets, plant and machinery provided under either the first or second stages of the wool textile industry scheme, and has declared redundancies within five years of project completion, 702W to repay grants; and if he will give details.
§ Mr. David MitchellUnder the first stage, wool textile scheme grants paid were reclaimed from 28 firms which took assets, plant and machinery out of use. The total reclaimed was £130,239.
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give details of the amount of grant, associated employment change and year of completion, of projects which obtained assistance under both stages of the wool textile industry scheme.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe following table shows the number of projects completed in the two wool textile schemes in each year and the amounts paid:
Year No. of Projects Amount Paid 1974 19 £1.2 million 1975 30 £3.8 million 1976 23 £3.3 million 1977 46 £4.8 million 1978 61 £3.5 million 1979 14 £2.5 million No separate figure is available of the change in employment arising from these schemes. When the assessment of the effects of the wool textile industry scheme were carried out by the economics and statistics division of the Department it was established that participants estimated 3,563 redundancies as a direct result of their projects.
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the loss of employment directly associated with projects approved under the first and second stages of the wool textile industry scheme; and if he will give details for West Yorkshire and for the United Kingdom as a whole.
§ Mr. David MitchellParticipants in the first stage of the wool textile scheme, according to a study carried out by the economic and statistics division of the Department, declared 3,563 redundancies as a direct result of their projects. No separate figure is available for West Yorkshire. No figure is yet available for the second stage scheme, which will not be completed until 31 December 1979. I am arranging for a copy of the report on the first wool textile industry scheme to be sent to the hon. Gentleman.
703W
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms which obtained assistance under the first and second stages of the wool textile industry scheme have since declared redundancies which were not a declared part of the projects financed, or have closed completely; and if he will give details of the loss of employment arising in West Yorkshire and in the United Kingdom as a whole.
§ Mr. David MitchellI regret that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms in West Yorkshire and in the United Kingdom as a whole have obtained financial assistance under the second stage of the wool textile scheme; and if he will make a statement on the scheme's achievements.
§ Mr. David MitchellUnder the second stage of the wool textile scheme 52 offers of financial assistance were accepted by firms in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. For the United Kingdom as a whole the figure was 67. The second stage of the wool textile scheme will not be completed until December 1979. No assessment has yet been made of the effects of this scheme.