§ Mr. McCuskerasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid out in grants each year from the support for software products scheme; and what was the take-up in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ButcherThe information is as follows
(a) From inception in 1972 to the relaunch of the scheme in 1982,£4.1 million was paid in grants. A further breakdown of the figures for this period would entail disproportionate costs.Since the relaunch in 1982, figures are as follows:
£ 1982–83 1,633,193 1983–84 2,985,106 1984–85 8,249,004 *1985 768,868 * 1 to 30 April.
(b) Take-up of the scheme in Northern Ireland has been minimal with only one application received and one grant awarded. However, the Province's own scheme of assistance in research and development, set up by the Industrial Development Board and the local enterprise development unit, which operates along similar lines has had a substantial take up by the companies in the software sector.