§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Paymaster General if he will list the legislative measures introduced by the Government designed to assist directly the small business community; if he will show against each the amount of central Government funding in all forms of advice and assistance; and if he is able to show the estimated increase in small business formation associated with each measure.
§ Mr. Trippier[pursuant to his reply, 27 February 1987, column 431]: A list of all Government measures since 1979 to assist directly the small firms sector was set out in my reply on 9 February to the hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Browne) at columns 56–60. The principal measures operated by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission to assist small businesses are:
Enterprise allowance scheme ( EAS). The EAS was introduced in 1981 and more than 200,000 people have taken advantage of it. Total expenditure on the scheme to 31 December 1986 is £310.9 million and the estimated cost in 1986–87 is £146.8 million.Training for enterprise. A wide range of business training is made available through the Manpower Services Commission's training for enterprise programme. In 1986–87 the programme will cost £18.8 million and more than 46,000 people will take advantage of it.Loan guarantee scheme. The LGS was introduced in 1981 and has covered 17,440 loans totalling £571.6 million. The net cost of the scheme to 31 January 1987 has been £107.9 million.Small firms service. In England, there are 10 centres, which in 1985–86 dealt with 256,532 inquiries and provided 35,242 counselling sessions. The cost of the small firms service in 617W England in 1985–86 will be £5.1 million. In Scotland and Wales, the small firms service is provided by the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies.Local enterprise agency grants scheme (LEAGS). The scheme which assists local enterprise agencies in England was introduced in 1986 and is expected to provide assistance to some 180 enterprise agencies by the end of this financial year. The cost of LEAGS in 1986–87 will be £2.5 million.
Co-operative Development Agency. The remit of the CDA was widened and authority for funding until 1989–90 was provided by the Co-operative Development Agency and Industrial Development Act 1984. There are now more than 1,400 industrial co-operatives.
The legislative authority for the enterprise allowance scheme and the training for enterprise programme is the Employment and Training Act 1973. That for the loan guarantee scheme, the small firms service and the local enterprise agency grants scheme is the Industrial Development Act 1982.