HC Deb 01 December 1980 vol 995 cc30-1W
Mr. David Watkins

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many offers of assistance to firms under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 were made in the period July 1978 to July 1979 in County Durham; and what was the average length of time of the negotiations;

(2) how many offers of selective financial assistance have been made to firms in County Durham under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 since the changes in regional policy announced in July 1979;

(3) how many offers of selective financial assistance have been made to firms in the Northern region under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 since the changes in regional policy announced in July 1979;

(4) how many offers of assistance to firms under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 were made in the period July 1978 to July 1979 in the Northern region; and what was the average length of time of the negotiations.

Mr. David Mitchell

Between 1 August 1979 and 31 October 1980, 118 offers of section 7 assistance were made to firms in the Northern region 38 of these offers were made to firms in County Durham. The corresponding figures for the year ending 31 July 1979 were 163 and 34 respectively.

Mr. David Watkins

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what has been the average time to negotiate applications for financial assistance, from the date of the application to the date of the formal offer of assistance, in County Durham under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 since the July 1979 changes in regional policy;

(2) what has been the average time to negotiate applications for financial assistance from the date of the application to the date of the formal offer of assistance in the Northern region under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 since the July 1979 changes in regional policy.

Mr. David Mitchell

The time taken varies from case to case but the average was 16 weeks for applications received from firms in County Durham and in the Northern region as a whole in the 15 months ending 31 October 1980. This compares with an average of 14 weeks for cases processed in the year ending 31 July 1979.