HC Deb 06 March 1984 vol 55 cc511-3W
Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of Trade and Industry if he will detail the grants given by his

Trade Descriptions Act 1968 which have taken place in relation to the provisions of the Textile Products (Indication of Fibre Content) Regulations 1973, for each year since the coming into force of the regulations.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Comprehensive statistics covering the whole period since the regulations came into operation in January 1976 are not available. However, information supplied on a voluntary basis by local authorities to the Direcior General of Fair Trading indicates that during the years 1978 to 1983 local authorities brought 127 successful prosecutions for offences under the regulations, as follows:

Department to each voluntary organisation (during 1982–83; which of these had their grants reduced in 1983–84; and by how much.

Mr. Butcher

There is no agreed definition of the term "voluntary bodies" in relation to the bodies assisted by my Department.

Details of the grants made by my Department to non-statutory bodies in 1982–83, and the financial provisions that has been made for such grants in 1983–84 are as follows:

Programme/body Grants 1982–83 Provision 1983–84
£ £
Export Promotion:
Simplification of International
Trade Procedures Board 510,000 572,000
Sino British Trade Council 126,000 130,000
East European Trade Council 83,000 91,000

Programme/body Grants 1982–83 Provision 1983–84
£ £
Committee for Middle East Trade 81,000 84,000
British Overseas Trade Group for Israel 46,000 48,000
Latin American Trade Advisory Group 44,000 60,000
Assistance to other non-official trade organisations 398,000 490,000
Regulation of Trading Practices and Consumer Protection
National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux 5,533,000 6,041,000
National Consumer Council 1,199,000 1,322,000
National Federation of Consumer Groups 10,000 10,000
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents 67,000 60,000
Standards
British Standards Institute 3,169,000 3,520,000
Support for Industry
Anglo German Foundation 125,000 125,000
North of England Development Council 296,000 85,000
North West Industrial Development Association 124,000 260,000
Yorkshire and Humberside Development Association 70,000 163,000
Devon and Cornwall Development Bureau 60,000 110,000
Engineering Council 482,000 1,000,000
Design Council 3,727,000 3,951,000
Institute of Patentees and Inventors 6,000 8,000
National Electronics Council 10,000 —
British Clothing Centre 85,000 45,000

In addition, my Department provides support to companies, educational institutions and other non-statutory bodies under the Industry Act 1972 and Science and Technology Act 1965 but a list could be provided only at disproportionate cost.