HC Deb 29 April 1988 vol 132 cc300-1W
Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the funds expended in 1986–87 and 1987–88 on economic development through the Industrial Development Board and the local enterprise development unit.

Mr. Viggers

Of the funds allocated to economic development in Northern Ireland in 1986–87 £107 million was expended by the Industrial Development Board and £25.5 million by the Local Enterprise Development Unit.

During the 1987–88 financial year expenditure by the Industrial Development Board and the Local Enterprise Development Unit was £99.5 million and £22 million respectively.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on community economic development; and if he will list the initiatives or projects supported or funded by the Department of Economic Development in 1986–87 and 1987–88 to stimulate this form of economic development.

Mr. Viggers

The Government are committed to encouraging local communities to play as full a part as possible in economic development and job creation throughout Northern Ireland. To this end the action for community employment scheme provides employment opportunities for persons who have been unemployed for more than one year in a wide range of projects of benefit to the community. In the year 1986–87 6,150 were employed under the ACE scheme at a cost of £28.54 million. In 1987–88 6,200 were employed at a cost of £28.84 million. As part of the ACE programme a pilot enterprise scheme was launched in May 1987 to help ACE workers move into self-employment. During 1987–88 a total of 84 applications were received under the scheme and of these 51 were approved. The local enterprise programme has supported the establishment of 35 locally based business-led enterprise groups capable of accommodating and supporting 1,000 small businesses and 3,000 jobs by the end of this year. Assistance totalling £3.5 million has been offered under the programme during the past two years.