§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the provision of Exchequer subsidies for the Moss Morran petrochemical complex, including his latest estimate of its aggregate costs, stipulation of the type of subsidy and the legislation by which it is authorised, and his latest estimate of aggregate long-term employment resulting.
§ Mr. MacGregor[pursuant to his reply, 15 January 1981]: No selective assistance under sections 7 or 8 of the Industry Act 1972 has been offered for these projects. Regional development grant under the Industry Act 1972 may become payable at the rate appropriate to development areas. This rate is now 15 per cent. Under the regional development grant scheme grant is payable to all applicants who meet the defined and published criteria. It is estimated that the project will provide at least 470 permanent jobs and it is envisaged that downstream employment may follow. It is not yet possible to estimate the amount of assistance for which the projects might qualify.