HC Deb 09 March 1982 vol 19 cc370-1W
Mr. Mason

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the total sums of loans and financial grants received by Her Majesty's Government and the United Kingdom coal and steel industries from the European Coal and Steel Community, covering all forms of financial assistance annually since the first year of membership; if he will list the loans and grants in each financial year; and what contributions have been made to the EEC by Her Majesty's Government or any other contributor in the United Kingdom.

Mr. MacGregor

Under the ECSC treaty industry loans under article 54 and research and development grants under article 55 are directly intended for the benefit of the coal and steel industries. Other ECSC loans and grants are intended to help coal and steel workers. The primary United Kingdom source of ECSC revenue is the levy on coal and steel production although Her Majesty's Government have made direct contributions in recent years and as part of our accession to the ECSC.

The United Kingdom contribution to the ECSC and United Kingdom allocations of loans, grants and interest rebates were as follows:

£ million
UK Contribution to ECSC Article 54 Industry loans Article 56* Reconversion loans Interest Rebates Housing Loans Article 55 R & D Grants Article 56† Readaptation Grants
1973 14 0.6 0.5 0.2
1974 15 48 15 0.9 1.6 1.7 1.2
1975 16 150 31 2.3 2.2 2.1 5.8
1976 13 346 9 1.6 1.0 3.6 4.8
1977 13 134 1 0.6 2.0 5.5 5.8
1978 18 187 83 5.5 1.5 5.6 6.6
1979 18 151 59 6.2 2.7 3.8 15.8
1980 15 150 92 8.6 1.3 6.7 23.3
1981 15 30 92 9.7 1.3 5.7 41.6
Notes:
* Reconversion loans are given to projects employing redundant coal and steel workers.
† Readaptation grants are given to ECSC workers made redundant by closures.