§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the total value of grants made by the Highlands and Islands Development Board to companies or projects in Scotland in each year since 1979 in (a) cash terms and (b) real terms on 1978–88 prices.
§ Mr. LangExpenditure on grants to businesses by the Highlands and Islands Development Board under its section 8 scheme is shown in the table. The board under the same scheme also makes loans on concessionary terms and takes equity shares in businesses. Under other schemes the board makes grants to research, business advisory, marketing, training and social development projects but information in the form requested on the total value of these grants is not readily available.
Year Cash At 1987–88 prices1 £000s £000s 1979–80 4,582 7,969 1980–81 6,428 9,431 1981–82 7,031 9,391 1982–83 8,717 10,869 1983–84 11,933 14,237 1984–85 12,109 13,849 1985–86 12,694 13,665 1986–87 13,586 14,203 1 Calculated using the gross domestic product deflator taken from the Treasury "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1987–88".