§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what was the number of offers of regional development grant and the amount paid in Kirkby and Prescott in each year since 1974;
(2) what was the number of offers of regional development grants and the amount paid on Merseyside in each year since 1974.
§ Mr. TrippierRegional development grants have been paid in respect of approved expenditure incurred in providing eligible assets on qualifying premises in development areas, including special development areas. There have not been separate offers in advance as in the case of regional selective assistance.
Because of the way in which records are kept, it is not known how many applications for regional development grant there have been in respect of premises in the areas specified, or what payments of such grants were made in respect of such premises in 1974–6. The information available in respect of grant paid from 1977 onwards is given in the following table:
Regional development grant paid* £'000 †Merseyside ‡Kirkby ‡Prescott 1977 19,709 329 559 1978 36,084 1,225 1,847 1979 34,528 866 2,581 1980 54,693 2,523 2,248 1981 85,812 3,646 1,220 1982 72,047 3,214 668 1983 58,459 4,152 1,149 1984 50,166 2,429 406 (to 30 September 1984) *Total of payments over £25,000 only. Regional development grant payments of £25,000 or less cannot be attributed to any unit smaller than a planning region. † Merseyside comprises the Merseyside metropolitan county and those parts of the former Merseyside special development area outside the Merseyside metropolitan county. ‡ Kirkby and Prescott are the former Kirkby employment office area and the former Prescott employment office area respectively.