§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Industry in what form information relating to Government financial assistance to British Leyland before 1974 is held by his Department; and what factors relating to the retrieval of such information for the purpose of answering parliamentary questions incur the disproportionate cost referred to in his answer of 14 December to the hon. Member for West Lothian, Official Report, c. 23.
§ Mr. Wakeham[pursuant to his reply, 18 December 1981, c. 262–264]: Before 1 October 1974 details of all regional development grants paid were held on the basis of individual applications, and were confidential between the applicant and the Department. However, as a result of a report by the Expenditure Committee and following consultations with industry, the right hon. Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Benn) announced on 31 July 1974 in a written reply to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) —Vol. 878, c. 371–72—his decision that payments for grant made after 1 October 1974 and 466W individually worth more than £25,000 would be published quarterly. To meet this requirement, such grants have been specially identified and recorded as they are paid. I was therefore able, in my answer of 14 December to the hon. Member, to provide the total of such grants, as it was readily available. It would, however, be a time-consuming exercise to identify all grants paid before 1 October 1974 and those paid since then individually worth under £25,000 since these have never been totalled. I have provided the hon. Member in my answer of 14 December with the total of the general funding received by BL Ltd. since it came into public ownership.