§ Mr. Porterasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total amount of European Economic Community assistance given to industry on Merseyside in each of the years 1976–77 to 1980–81.
§ Mr. MacGregorSince assistance from European Communities is provided on a calendar year basis, the information could not be provided for financial years without disproportionate cost.
The following amounts have been loaned to private sector industrial projects in the Merseyside special development area for the calendar years in question.
32W
1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 £million European Investment Bank nil nil 0.8 9.5 8.0 European Coal and Steel Community nil nil 0.3 0.4 1.0 The European Commission has also committed the following grants from the European regional development fund in respect of projects in the Merseyside special development area:
Year £million 1976 1.7 1977 2.4 1978 12.9 1979 23.5 1980 21.8 These grants are available only for projects which are already receiving United Kingdom regional aids and, in accordance with the fund regulation, they are retained by the Government as a partial repayment thereof.
Notes
- (1) Merseyside special development area includes Skelmersdale new town area.
- (2) From 1 August 1980 St. Helens ceased to be a special development area.