HC Deb 14 April 1980 vol 982 cc504-7W
Mr. Wm. Ross

asked 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.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The 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

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.