HL Deb 02 August 1982 vol 434 cc672-3WA
Lord Blease

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will:

  1. (a) give the dates of the last eight meetings of the Industrial Development Consultative Forum (Northern Ireland);
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  2. (b) publish the conclusions, or findings, of these meetings concerning the policies, performance and co-ordination of the industrial development institutions; and
  3. (c) state the proposed future role and functions, if any, for the IDCF(NI) following the establishment of the Industrial Development Board and the Department of Economic Development (NI).

Viscount Long

The Industrial Development Consultative Forum has met on eight occasions since its inception: 26th June 1980, 2nd October 1980, 29th January 1981, 31st March 1981, 30th June 1981, 3rd November 1981, 2nd February 1982 and 11th May 1982. The forum agreed at its first meeting that the papers which it discussed and the minutes of its meetings should be confidential. However I can tell the noble Lord that the forum has received regular progress reports from the industrial development institutions (the Northern Ireland Development Agency (NIDA), the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) and the Department of Commerce (DOC)) on their performance in stimulating industrial investment and job promotion in Northern Ireland. It has also discussed number of other topics pertinent to the performance of, and co-ordination of the work of, NIDA, LEDU and DOC, such as the merits of different types of incentives, and the policy on recovering grants when companies close. In particular, the forum considered drafts of the documentIndustrial Development in Northern Ireland—A Framework for Action published in October 1981 which sets out the Government's overall approach to industrial development in the Province and the individual programmes being undertaken by NIDA, LEDU and DOC. When the forum meets again later this year it it agreed that it will consider its future role and functions in the light of the establishment of the Industrial Development Board and the Department of Economic Development.