§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a table showing the payments from United Kingdom and Common Market funds to the British steel industry in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. ButcherThe information requested is as follows:
United Kingdom Funds Finance provided to BSC by Her Majesty's Government to the British Steel Corporation (excluding regional development grants): Year ended 31 March £m 1978 661 1979 689 1980 691 1981 1,183 1982 806 Offers of finance under sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972, and details of regional development grant payments, are published quarterly in "British Business." Aggregates for the steel industry are not readily available.
European Community Funds (BSC and Private Sector) Calendar Years £m R & D Grants 1978 23.7 1.21 1979 0.6 2.9 1980 20.3 2.5 1981 Nil 2.2 1982 N/A 1.2 Joint UK/European Community Funds:
Substantial payments are also made to eligible redundant steelworkers under the iron and steel employees re-adaptation benefits scheme, which is funded jointly by the Government and the ECSC. These payments are normally made directly to the individuals concerned. The totals paid out in the past five financial years are as follows:
Year ended 31 March £m 1978 2.9 1979 5.1 1980 18.8 1981 34.2 1982 105.4 About 45 per cent. of these sums is recovered from the ECSC, not necessarily in the year of payment to the individual steel workers.