§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the £400 million which he plans to continue to spend each year on regional policy to improve job prospects in areas of high unemployment he expects will be allocated to the west midlands; and which sectors he envisages will be primarily eligible for grants allocation.
§ Mr. TrippierThe distribution of expenditure on regional industrial policy will continue to be determined by demand within the assisted areas. Parts of the west midlands are now intermediate areas, so firms in those parts now qualify for regional selective assistance for which all sectors of industry are now eligible on the same basis. Only firms in development areas are eligible for regional development grants which are expected to account for about half the total expenditure of about £400 million in 1987–88.