Regional Aid (Hansard, 15 January 1985)

§ Mr. Ron Davies
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the total expenditure by local authorities in Wales on regional industrial assistance for each year since 1979 in cash and real terms using 1984 as the base year.

§ Mr. Nicholas Edwards
Local authorities provide a wide range of services which are of benefit to industry in their areas. Comprehensive information could not be meaningfully provided. However, some information is available from the annual outturn forms as follows:

Grants and advances for industrial and commercial purposes Capital expenditure on industrial estates

Cash 1984–85prices^* Cash 1984–85prices^*

1979–80 296 450 3,941 5,997

1980–81 1,475 1,892 8,890 11,405

1981–82 164 191 7,717 9,002

1982–83 1,397 1,528 16,024 17,526

†1983–84 1,012 1,060 17,442 18,270

^* Deflated to 1984–85 prices using the GDP deflator.

† Provisional.

Note:
The information has been derived from the annual capital outturn forms.

§ Mr. Ron Davies
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the per capita spending on regional aid by central Government in Wales for each year since 1979.

§ Mr. Nicholas Edwards
The per capita spending on regional aid by central Government in Wales since 1978–79 in the years ended 31 March was:

£

1978–79 62

1979–80 61

1980–81 100

1981–82 116

1982–83 106

1983–84 66

101W
The highest figures for the years 1980–81 to 1982–83 largely reflect the regional development grant payments towards a few major capital intensive projects.

§ Mr. Ron Davies
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what, in respect of the year 1983–84, was the total number of jobs created in Wales by means of selective financial assistance; and what is his estimate of the average cost of such jobs created.

§ Mr. Nicholas Edwards
Offers of regional selective assistance accepted in the year ended 31 March 1984 for projects in Wales were expected to lead to the creation of 11,846 jobs. The average cost of regional selective assistance for each of these jobs is estimated at £2,682.

§ Mr. Ron Davies
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of applications for selective financial assistance approved by the Welsh Office in 1983–84.

§ Mr. Nicholas Edwards
In the year ended 31 March 1984, 307 applications for regional selective assistance were approved by the Welsh Office.

	Grants and advances for industrial and commercial purposes	Capital expenditure on industrial estates
	Cash	1984–85prices^*	Cash	1984–85prices^*
1979–80	296	450	3,941	5,997
1980–81	1,475	1,892	8,890	11,405
1981–82	164	191	7,717	9,002
1982–83	1,397	1,528	16,024	17,526
†1983–84	1,012	1,060	17,442	18,270
^* Deflated to 1984–85 prices using the GDP deflator.
† Provisional.

	£
1978–79	62
1979–80	61
1980–81	100
1981–82	116
1982–83	106
1983–84	66