§ 27. Mr. Haywardasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the value of inward investment into the United Kingdom by information technology related companies over the last 12 months and the number of jobs likely to be associated with this investment.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThere are no comprehensive figures on inward investment covering the last 12 months. In 1982, the last year for which such figures are available, inward investment in companies in the IT sector was in excess of £100 million. More recently, particular examples have included: the decision by IBM to manufacture its personal computer in Scotland, an investment of £8 million resulting directly and indirectly in 400 new jobs; Hewlett Packard's investment in Bristol totalling £43 million and involving over 950 jobs; DEC's software engineering project at Reading, involving £53 million and 300 jobs; and Microdata's investment of £10 million at Hemel Hempstead, adding 500 jobs to the 1,000 already there. My Departmen is aware, since the beginning of 1984 alone, of over 20 overseas companies in the IT sector which are undertaking or planning investment in excess of £370 million. These include three major investments in microchip production—National Semiconductor in Scotland, of £141 million, creating 800 jobs; Monsanto in the south-east, of £35 million, creating 400 jobs; and Shin-Etsu Handotai, of £36 million, creating 400 jobs.