Return on Capital (Statistics) (Hansard, 25 February 1981)

§ Mr. MacGregor

I regret that estimates of real rates of return with an industrial breakdown are presently limited to the information provided in the tables on pages 632 and 633 of "Trade and Industry", 28 September 1979.

£ million at outturn prices
	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81 (forecast)
Regional and General Industrial Support	490	370	380	400	520	530	500	630	540	720
Scientific and Technological Assistance	40	40	50	70	90	100	100	110	140	180
Support for Aerospace, Shipbuilding, Steel and Vehicle Manufacturing Industries	180	190	270	350	590	350	350	330	380	610
	710	600	700	820	1,200	980	950	1,070	1,060	1,510

It is not possible to provide figures at 1971–72 prices without incurring disproportionate costs, but figures of support at 1980 survey prices are more readily available from 1975–76 onwards and are as follows:

£ million at 1980 survey prices
	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81 (forecast)
Regional and General Industries Support	840	750	630	730	540	600
Scientific and Technological Assistance	140	140	120	120	140	160
Support for Aerospace, Shipbuilding, Steel and Vehicle Manufacturing Industries	940	520	440	380	380	520
	1,920	1,410	1,190	1,230	1,060	1,280

Notes:

(a) The tables include expenditure—rising from about £10 million in 1971–72 to about £40 million in 1980–81—which does not involve direct assistance to industry. This expenditure is included in the heading Scientific and Technological Assistance, and covers contributions to the European Space Agency, and the costs of work carried out by the Ministry of Defence and some work of the Department's research establishments.

(b) The tables do not include support within the general financing of nationalised industries.