§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary for State of Scotland if he will give the total amount of money spent in Scotland on regional development grants and regional selective assistance to indigenous firms and inward investing firms for each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 10 March 1988]: The information requested on regional development grants is not available. Expenditure since 1978 on regional selective assistance to indigenous firms and overseas-owned firms is set out by calendar year.
Indigenous Firms (£ million) Overseas-owned Firms (£ million) 1978 9.0 5.3 1979 8.9 4.7 1980 10.6 9.4 1981 13.2 8.2 1982 10.2 9.4 1983 15.2 9.3 1984 13.1 14.7 1985 18.5 22.6 1986 17.6 20.0 1987 17.9 19.1
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for regional selective assistance were made in Scotland in each year from 1979–80 to 1986–87; how many were successful; and how many applications are forecast for 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, and 1990–91.
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 10 March 1988]: Information on applications for regional selective assistance (RSA) for the years 1979–80 to 1987–88 (to end February 1988) is as set out.
The number of applications of RSA in future years will depend on the number and quality of projects put forward by firms. It is not possible to provide a forecast for future years with any degree of confidence. But the number is expected to increase following the termination of the revised regional development grant scheme, and additional provision has been set aside in my right hon. and learned Friend's industry, energy, trade and employment programme to allow for this.
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Number of applications 1Number of successful applications 1979–80 324 273 1980–81 103 88 1981–82 197 162 1982–83 291 242 1983–84 291 231 1984–85 282 211
Number of applications 1Number of successful applications 1985–86 154 121 1986–87 179 155 1987–882 214 170 1 Successful applications are defined to be those which resulted in an offer. 2 Includes applications and offers linked to these applications in the period 1 April 1987 to 29 February 1988. The number of associated offers for this period undercounts the final total because of applications still being processed.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for regional development grant were made in Scotland in each year from 1979–80 to 1986–7; how many were successful; and how many applications are forecast for 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 10 March 1988]: Information for the period 1979–80 to 1983–84 is not available. Figures of claims under the old regional development grant (RDG) scheme and of applications under the revised RDG scheme in the years 1984–85 to 1987–88 (to end February 1988) are set out in the table.
Claims under the old RDG scheme continued to be made up to December 1987 against assets provided before 29 November 1985 and will continue into 1988–89 for a small number of projects in respect of assets provided as part of a project on which an associated offer of regional selective assistance was made before 29 November 1984. The revised RDG scheme is shortly to be terminated. No new applications will be accepted after 31 March 1988.
Revised RDG scheme Old RDG Scheme Number of claims Number of applications Number of successful applications1 1984–85 7,863 157 121 1985–86 7,776 2,371 1,925 1986–87 2,229 4,102 3,320 1987–882 400 4,467 2,244 1 Successful applications are defined to be those which resulted in an approval. 2 Includes claims, applications and approvals up to 29 February 1988. The number of approvals in this period undercounts the final total because of applications still being processed.