§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applicants in England have (a) applied 138W for and (b) been granted loans under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sectors, respectively; what has been (i) the total amount and (ii) the average amount lent to each applicant under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sector schemes, respectively; and if he will estimate the number of jobs created in England as a result of the scheme.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants in Northern Ireland have (a) applied for and (b) been granted loans under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sectors, respectively; what has been (i) the total amount and (ii) the average amount lent to each applicant under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sector schemes, respectively; and if he will estimate the number of jobs created in Northern Ireland as a result of the scheme.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applicants in Scotland have (a) applied for and (b) been granted loans under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sectors, respectively; what has been (i) the total amount and (ii) the average amount lent to each applicant under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sector schemes, respectively; and if he will estimate the number of jobs created in Scotland as a result of the scheme.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applicants in Wales have (a) applied for and (b) been granted loans under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sectors, respectively; what has been (i) the total amount and (ii) the average amount lent to each applicant under the exchange risk guarantee scheme in each year of its existence in the public and private sector schemes, respectively; and if he will estimate the number of jobs created in Wales as a result of the scheme.
§ Mr. TrippierI am also replying on behalf of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Details of loans made directly by the European Investment Bank and the European Coal and Steel Community and through the agency operated by Her Majesty's Government under the exchange risk guarantee scheme to the private sector are as follows: 139W
£ thousand England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Year Number Total value Average loan Number Total value Average loan Number Total value Average loan Number Total value Average loan 1978 5 6,228 1,246 2 395 198 2 220 110 — — — 1979 48 35,617 742 12 13,512 1,126 26 38,244 1,471 1 4,000 4,000 1980 29 50,723 1,749 15 39,305 2,620 18 26,070 1,448 1 8,000 8,000 1981 22 21,838 993 5 14,565 2,913 10 22,752 2,275 4 996 249 1982 8 17,705 2,213 4 3,960 990 5 17,264 3,453 3 262 87 1983 9 17,508 1,945 4 20,156 5,093 3 4,390 1,463 8 13,891 1,736 1984 6 1,896 316 — — — 3 4,325 1,442 5 11,305 2,261 Total 127 151,515 42 91,893 67 113,265 22 38,454 Details of applications received, some of which are not formalised, are not readily available. It is estimated that the investment financed by these loans has helped to create or safeguard over 70,000 jobs.
Public sector borrowers are not eligible for support under the exchange risk guarantee scheme.
In addition to the above loans, firms have access to European Community loans through the agency of certain financial institutions, including most clearing banks. Exchange risk guarantees have been provided on about £105 million of Community funds lent to these institutions for them to on-lend in sub-loans to the private sector.
Data on the geographic spread and timing of these sub-loans and their employment effects are not readily available. The following table gives the annual amounts of cover taken up by the agents since January 1982 when the full-scale agencies scheme came into operation.
£ thousand 1982 19,774 1983 32,897 1984 52,405