§ Mr. BoyesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures and initiatives are being undertaken to attract investment capital and industry to the north-east: and if he will provide a table of capital investment in real terms, showing the percentage increase this sum represents from May 1979 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. Atkins[holding answer 7 March 1988]: My Department offers a range of incentives under its recently launched enterprise initiative which are designed to encourage industrial and commercial development in the north-east and elsewhere. The information sought by the hon. Member about capital investment is as follows. For the standard economic planning region of the north (which includes Cumbria as well as Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and Cleveland), the figures in the table 116W imply the following percentage changes in manufacturing net capital expenditure from the 1979 base year figure of £613 million:
Calendar year Expenditure £ million (1979 prices) Per cent. change since 1979 1980 428 -30.2 1981 284 -53.7 1982 256 -58.2 1983 279 -54.5 1984 356 -41.9 1985 403 -34.3