§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for England generally, and separately for the English assisted areas, the number of new foreign-owned plants established each year since 1954 and the numbers which have been closed down since 1973.
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§ Mr. TrippierThe Department's records of openings and closures cover only those manufacturing plants with more than 10 employees. Comprehensive information is not available for the period prior to 1966; nor for the period since 1982 due to delays associated with its collection. The number of foreign-owned plants recorded as opening in England between 1966–82 is 819 of which 223 were in the current assisted areas; a breakdown of the figures by year is given in the table. Recorded closures of foreign owned plants in England since 1 January 1978 were 156 of which 35 were in the assisted areas. The definition of overseas ownership adopted is that at least 51 per cent. of the equity of the United Kingdom firm is owned by an overseas company.
The number of foreign-owned plants established 1966–82 Number Year of opening England Current Englsh assisted areas 1966 49 13 1967 50 10 1968 56 16 1969 73 17 1970 81 29 1971 59 11 1972 58 20 1973 67 18 1974 56 13 1975 55 12 1976 28 5 1977 42 11 1978 45 13 1979 27 11 1980 31 7 1981 27 9 1982 15 8 1966–82 819 223
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many plants in England which employed more than 500 persons in 1978 have since been closed; and how many of these were foreign-owned.
§ Mr. TrippierThe latest information available to the Department concerning factory closures indicates that 243 manufacturing plants in England employing more than 500 persons in 1978 have since closed; of these 32 were foreign owned. The definition of foreign ownership adopted is that at least 51 per cent. of the equity of the UK firm is owned by an overseas company.