§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums under the business expansion scheme or any other provision have been paid to those who set up the Thames riverbus service.
§ Mr. Norman Lamont[holding answer 4 July 1989]: I regret that I am unable to provide the information requested on the business expansion scheme as details of the use of the scheme by particular individuals and companies are obtained by the Inland Revenue on a confidential basis. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply
340W
£ million 1983–84 50 1984–85 75 1985–86 85 1986–87 95 11987–88 120 1 Provisional A forecast of £100 million for the cost of relief for the business expansion scheme in 1988–89 was published in "The Government's Expenditure Plans, 1989–90 to 1991–92" (chapter 21), but no information is yet available centrally from official sources to provide a reliable estimate of the outturn.
I regret that reliable estimates of the cost of relief by standard region and country are not available.
§ Mr. Norman Lamont[holding answer 29 June 1989]: Information on companies receiving investments through the business expansion scheme in 1988–89 is not yet available centrally from official sources. Estimates for earlier years are as follows:
which my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Transport gave him on 4 July at columns 91–92 regarding a grant to the company from the Department of Transport.