§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what is the total estimated expenditure on(a) innovation grants and (b) investment grants for each of the years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91;
445W(2) if he will give for innovation grants and investment grants the total number of applications (a) received and (b) approved from 1 April 1988 to 31 December 1988, and the total estimated expenditure for that period.
§ Mr. AtkinsBetween 1 April 1988 and 31 December 1988 my Department received 1,054 applications, and made 509 offers of regional enterprise grants. The offers are valued at £4.1 million, and payments of £331,217 have been made.
Current Estimates provision for regional enterprise grants is £12.3 million in 1988–89. This figure is gross of any receipts, or expected receipts, from the European regional development fund. Information about planned expenditure on regional assistance in 1989–90 and 1990–91 will shortly be published in the Public Expenditure White Paper.