HC Deb 24 March 1986 vol 94 cc328-9W
Mr. Sackville

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will give his Department's estimate of current and future demand for United Kingdom manufactured non-woven fabrics;

(2) if he will give his Department's estimate of United Kingdom installed capacity and production of non-woven fabrics.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The available information relates to the production and demand for non-woven textile fabrics excluding non-wovens of plastic and paper, figures for which are given in the following table. No figures are available for installed capacity or future demand for non-woven fabrics.

Non-woven textile fabrics*
1984 £ million 1984 Q1-Q3 £ million 1985 Q1-Q3 £ million
United Kingdom Manufacturers'
Deliveries† 88.9 65.3 72.0

1984 £ million 1984 Q1-Q3 £ million 1985 Q1-Q3 £ million
Imports 61.8 44.7 52.0
Exports 29.5 21.2 25.6
Apparent Home Demands‡ 121.2 88.8 98.4
* Non-woven fabrics of bonded fibre (other than felt and stitch-bonded materials).
† The delivery figures relate to sales to United Kingdom and overseas markets by establishments with a minimum employment of 25.
‡ Apparent home demand is United Kingdom manufacturers' deliveries in line 1 to United Kingdom and markets less exports (line 3) plus imports (line 2).

Sources:

Production—Business Monitor PQ 4399.

Trade —Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Sackville

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what applications he is currently considering for grant aid for the installation of new productive capacity of non-woven fabrics.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Details of applications for grant aid are not available for reasons of commercial confidentiality. However, details of the following are published quarterly inBritish Business: (1) individual payments of old-style regional development grants over £25,000; (2) payments to individuals of new-style regional development grants which cumulatively amount to more than £25,000; (3) when payments have been made, offers of regional selective assistance over £5,000 and general investment support.