HC Deb 23 January 1989 vol 145 cc445-6W
Mr. McLeish

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total estimated expenditure on regional development grant and regional selective assistance in England for each of the years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

Mr. Atkins

Department of Trade and Industry current Supply Estimates provision for expenditure on regional development grant (RDG) and regional selective assistance (RSA) in England in 1988–89 is £157.9 million and £154.2 million, respectively. The RDG figure covers both the original and revised schemes. The RSA figure incorporates expenditure on industrial and training grants, as well as assistance under the business improvement services and exchange risk guarantee schemes. Both figures are net of domestic receipts but gross of expected receipts from the European regional development fund.

Mr. Newton

The current Estimates provision for 1988–89 for the consultancy initiatives in England, Scotland and Wales is £74 million. Details of estimated expenditure for 1989–90 and 1990–91 will shortly be published in the Public Expenditure White Paper.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total number of applications(a) received and (b) approved for business development consultancy initiatives from 1 April 1988 to 31 December 1988, the total amount of expenditure involved and the total estimated expenditure for that period for Scotland, Wales and and each of the standard regions.

Mr. Newton

In the period from 1 April to 31 December 1988 a total of 13,461 applications was received for the six business development consultancy initiatives. In the same period 10,352 applications were approved for consultancy. The Department's contribution to the cost of completed consultancies totalled £5.9 million. It is estimated that those consultancies not completed by 31 December 1988 will cost the Department £21.3 million. A breakdown of numbers and cost for each DTI region* and for Scotland and Wales is as follows:

Information about planned expenditure on regional assistance in 1989–90 and 1990–91 will shortly be published in the Public Expenditure White Paper.