§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the value of grants, write-offs and guarantees given by Government to private industry as a proportion to the grants, write-offs and guarantees given to public industries together with International Computers Ltd. since 3 May 1979.
§ Mr. Kenneth Baker[pursuant to his reply, 13 April 1981, c. 27]: Details of expenditure since 3 May 1979 are not readily available. Assistance over the years 1979–80 and 1980–81 was made up of (a) £3,500 million assistance to British Shipbuilders, British Steel, BL and RollsRoyce—mainly in the form of subscriptions of capital, public dividend capital and equity—and (b) some £1,500 million assistance to other industries—mainly in grant form—for regional and general industrial support and scientific and technological assistance. Total assistance under (b) is equivalent to about two-fifths of total assistance under (a) when (a) is supplemented by the £200 million guarantee to ICL announced on 19 March. These figures should be seen against companies' tax relief of some £5,000 million a year on capital investment and stocks.