§ Mr. Wattsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what losses were sustained by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in covering commercial risks in the most recent year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkECGD provided £54.9 million for private buyer risks in the 1985–86 accounts. This represented ECGD's best estimate of the eventual loss on business insured in 1985–86. This provision will be adjusted in future years in the light of the most up-to-date
Expenditure1 at 19863 prices £ million Region 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 Northern 307.0 243.3 202.9 222.8 187.6 143.8 132.1 96.1 North West 170.2 142.7 182.1 199.6 144.2 114.4 109.9 87.4 Yorkshire and Humberside 72.3 52.8 72.4 78.1 62.3 40.0 45.3 34.9 East Midlands4 8.3 6.9 6.2 10.9 16.0 19.9 10.9 8.4 West Midlands5 — — — — — — — 5.6 South West 18.3 17.6 16.0 18.7 19.1 13.4 14.8 12.0 Scotland 285.1 194.1 253.6 278.2 436.9 250.9 199.5 208.3 Wales 204.1 171.7 236.9 250.5 214.0 128.0 152.6 134.4 Great Britain2 1,166.0 854.3 979.1 1,078.8 1,0801 710.4 665.0 587.2 1 All figures are gross and include payments to nationalised industries. 2 The Great Britain total does not always equal the sura of the component parts due to rounding. 3 Expenditure on a 1986 price basis for each year is calculated by applying the appropriate deflator to expenditure at current prices. 4 Includes some minor expenditure in west midlands in respect of Oswestry TTWA which ceased to be an assisted area in 1982.83. 5 Certain TTWAs in the west midlands were designated as assisted areas on 29 November 1984. The items included in the expenditure are regional development grants and regional selective assistance, expenditure on land and factories by the English Industrial Estates Corporation, the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies, the Development Board for Rural Wales, and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.
The agencies through which this expenditure was incurred are as follows:
English regions:
- The Department of Trade and Industry and the English Industrial Estates Corporation.
Scotland:
- The Scottish Office (Industry Development for Scotland).
- The Scottish Development Agency, the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Wales:
- The Welsh Office (Industry Department), the Welsh Development Agency, the Development Board for Rural Wales and the Department of Trade and Industry.