§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent in each year since 1979 in grants for small businesses to set up private residential care homes; and how many such grants were made.
§ Mr. TrippierNo grants for this purpose have been made by the Department since 1979. Such projects if operated on a commercial basis in assisted areas might possibly be eligible for assistance under the office and service industries scheme (section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982). However, the scheme is designed to attract service activities which are genuinely mobile, ie which serve a wider than local market and are largely independent of local demand.