§ Mr. Ancramasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest figures for regional assistance by programme granted to firms in Scotland; and what these were as a percentage compared with Great Britain as a whole.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherExpenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry in Scotland in the financial year 1981–82 in total, and as a percentage of expenditure on regional preferential assistance in Great Britain, was as follows:
Expenditure in Great Britain £ million Percentage Industry Act 1972 Selective financial assistance (Section 7)* 19.4 25 Regional development grant 142.7 23 Other assistance† 73.7 40 Total 235.8 27 * Provisional. † Other assistance includes expenditure by the Scottish Development Agency on land and factory building, loans and grants to industry from the Highlands and Islands Development Board, assistance to tourism under the Development of Tourism Act 1969, section 4, Local Employment Act Assistance on land and factories (England only), expenditure by the Development Board for Rural Wales, and Welsh Tourist Board loans to small tourist enterprises in development areas (excluding Council of Small Industries in Rural Areas)
§ Mr. Ancramasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total of regional assistance to industry per head of employees in the assisted areas in Scotland for the latest available year.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherExpenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry in Scotland for the latest available year, 1981–82, is estimated at £104 per employee.