HC Deb 09 April 1984 vol 58 cc10-1W
Mr. Randall

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Government money has been invested each year in the United Kingdom electronics industry since 1979.

Mr. Butcher

Government support for the electronics industry, excluding Ministry of Defence support, is set out in the following table. This covers support of research and development and of capital investment for England, Scotland and Wales. The sectors of the electronics industry that are covered are scientific instruments (MHL 354), telegraph and telephone apparatus (MHL 363), radio and electrical companies (MHL 364), broadcast receiving and sound reproduction equipment (MHL 365), electronic computers (MHL 366), radio/radar and electronic capital

1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Payments in £ million
Regional Development Grants 12.98 22.34 30.30 40.40 33.00
Capital investment support under Sections 7 and 8 of Industrial Development Act 1982 14.13 17.64 18.46 22.41 29.57
Research and Development Support under Science and Technology Act 1965 12.28 23.00 25.03 47.49 66.50

Mr. Randall

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have been employed each year in the United Kingdom electronics industry since 1979.

Mr. Butcher

The number of employees in the United Kingdom electronics industry measured at December each year is

Year Thousands of employees
1979 429.6
1980 403.9
1981 377.9
1982 373.0
1983 372.4

Mr. Randall

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimates he has made of the total investment needed by the United Kingdom electronics industry in order that it shall be able to compete effectively in world markets; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Butcher

We estimate that the total investment by the United Kingdom's microelectronics industry needs to be over £1,000 million by 1990 to match the world's long-term growth rate in semiconductors. This figure is based on discussions with companies and on studies relating investment in capital equipment and in research and development to future revenues.

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