§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to indicate what incentives have been offered, and for which periods, to firms investing in Northern Ireland, showing which Department of Government or agency or other body was responsible for the provision of such incentives and the total cost in each year or each financial year since 1 January 1967 to the latest available date.
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§ Mr. Giles ShawThe information is as follows:
Department of Commerce Assistance provided under the Industrial Investment (General Assistance) Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 Assistance Financial years Rates of grant available Grants Loans £ million £ million 1967–68 1 April 1967–31 March 1968 3.6 0.24 45% 1968–69 1 April 1968–31 December 1968 10.8 0.28 45% 1 January 1969–31 March 1969 40% 1969–70 1 April 1969–30 September 1969 16.9 0.18 40% 1 October 1969–31 March 1970 45% 1970–71 1 April 1970–26 October 1970 17.6 0.16 45% 26 October 1970–31 March 1971 Buildings 20% Mamp;E 35% 1971–72 1 April 1971–31 March 1972 13.9 0.25 Buildings 20% Mamp;E 35% 1972–73 1 April 1971–26 July 1972 7.9 0.15 27 July 1972–31 March 1973 1973–74 30% 8.8 0.66 1974–75 30% 15.3 0.98 1975–76 30% 30.1 0.03 1976–77 30% 27.9 1.23 1977–78 30% 31.8 — 1978–79 30% 27.3 — 506W507W
Department of Commerce Assistance provided under the Industries Development (Northern Ireland) Acts 1966 and 1971 Assistance Financial years Rates of selective capital grant available Selective capital grant Loans Other(l) £ million £ million £ million 1967–68 50% 5.5 0.3 1.1 1968–69 1 April 1968–31 December 1968 9.0 0.4 1.5 50% 1 January 1969–31 March 1969 50% 1969–70 1 April 1969–30 September 1969 14.9 1.4 0.6 45% 1 October 1969–31 March 1970 50% 1970–71 1 April 1970–23 June 1970 18.0 1.6 0.8 50% 24 June 1970–26 October 1970(4) 45%—60% 27 October 1970–31 March 1971 Buildings 35%—55% M&E 20%—40% 1971–72 30%—40% 17.5 1.9 0.8 1972–73 30%—40% 9.8 1.0 1.1 1973–74 30%—40% 12.0 6.6 3.4 1974–75 30%—40% 18.7 8.3 2.5 1975–76 30%—40% 13.0 7.5 7.0 1976–77 30%—40% 12.5 1.6 7.5 1977–78 1 April 1977–31 July 1977 8.4 15.6 9.7 30%—40% 1 August 1977–31 March 1978 40%—50% 1978–79 40%—50% 10.2 38.2 12.5
Local Enterprise Development Unit Assistance provided by LEDU under the Industries Development Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 Department of Commerce and LEDU Expenditure on sites and premises under the Industries Development (Northern Ireland) Acts 1966 and 1971(6) Northern Ireland Finance Corporation (NIFC) and Northern Ireland Development Agency (NIDA) (see Note (7)) Assistance Guarantees called Financial years Grants(2) Loans Loans Equity £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million 1967–68 — — 6.2 — — — 1968–69 — — 6.5 — — — 1969–70 — — 9.1 — — — 1970–71 — — 10.6 — — — 1971–72 0.7(5) 0.16 12.0 — — — 1972–73 0.3 0.26 11.4 1.7 — — 1973–74 0.7 0.65 11.2 4.2 — — 1974–75 1.2 0.63 15.1 5.1 3.8 1.1 1975–76 1.1 0.47 14.2 5.6 0.5 0.2 1976–77 1.3 0.78 9.4 2.1 2.9 0.1 1977–78 1.8 1.20 7.0 3.8 2.7 — 1978–79 2.6 1.30 10.7 0.7 16.2 — Footnotes:
(1) Includes employment grants, removal grants and interest relief grants.
(2) Includes capital grants, employment grants, interest relief grants and other miscellaneour grants.
(3) Machinery and equipment.
(4) Zonal grants introduced with highest rates available in areas of highest unemployment. Uppes and lower limits are shown.
(5) LEDU came into existence in 1971, with special responsibility for the promotion of employment in firms with less than 50 employees. Prior to that date the Department of Commerce had responsibility for such firms.
(6) This column contains expenditure on sites and premises incurred in the years concerned, but these sites and premises were not necessarily occupied in that year.
(7) Finance provided by NIFC (1972–76) and NIDA (1976–79) is on commercial terms and is not therefore regarded as an "incentive". It is included in the table in the interests of completeness.