§ Mr. Iain Millsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish the total Government grants given to BL and to car component manufacturers in the west midlands in 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1982.
§ Mr. ButcherThe main Government assistance to BL is in the form of equity funding, which has been advanced to cover the needs of the company as a whole as outlined in successive corporate plans. This funding has not been hypothecated to specific operations and it is therefore not possible to say how much has been spent in the west midlands. However, Government assistance for BL as a whole in the years in question was as follows:
£ million 1976–77 100 *Loans 1978–79 450 Equity 1980–81 300 Equity 1982–83 370 Equity * Converted to equity 31 March 1980. The car components industry is not separately identified in the available statistics and the requested figures could only be obtained; if at all, at disproportionate cost.