HC Deb 14 February 1983 vol 37 cc22-3W
Mr. Iain Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will introduce special measures to give 50 per cent. or more grant to west midlands industrial companies for modernisation of plant.

Mr. MacGregor

There are no schemes, nationwide or regional, which give automatic grants of 50 per cent. or more. But firms in the West Midlands which meet the necessary criteria are already eligible for the following national schemes of assistance currently provided by the Department of Industry:

  1. (a) General support arrangements under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 for assisting large projects;
  2. (b) Six schemes offering assistance under section 8 of the Industry Act.
    1. (i) Flexible manufacturing—including robotics—scheme;
    2. (ii) Coal-firing scheme;
    3. (iii) Private sector steel;
    4. (iv) Micro-electronics industry support programme;
    5. (v) Computer aided design and test equipment support;
    6. (vi) Small firms loan guarantee scheme.
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  3. (c) Support for Innovation, a general support facility promoting research and development: special arrangements within this facility include:
    1. (i) Micro-electronics application project;
    2. (ii) Information technology;
    3. (iii) Fibre optics and opto-electronics scheme;
    4. (iv) Computer aided design, manufacture and test; (for electronic industry);
    5. (v) Computer aided design and computer aided manufacture;
    6. (vi) Software products scheme;
    7. (vii) Advisory services such as the manufacturing advisory service for small and medium-sized companies.