§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the location and number of task forces which have been set up, together with a list of their functions and budgets.
§ Mr. LeighThere are five business task forces located in DTI headquarters divisions. Their functions cover certain specific tasks on commodities and steel, aircraft arid aero-engines, shipbuilding, vehicles and market opportunities. The main budgets for which they are responsible are as follows:
1990–91 Estimates/provision £ million Development of the EH101 helicopter 12.5 Development of the A330/340 airliners 134.0 (Launch aid levy receipts 73.7) Home shipbuilding credit guarantee scheme 43.5 Shipbuilding intervention fund 25.0 Assistance to redundant steelworkers 16.3 Civil aircraft research and demonstration 25.4 Details of these budgets are set out in the Supply Estimates 1990–91 (class IV Trade and Industry) and in chapter 4 of the "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990–91 to 1992–93" (Cm 1004).
As my Department's contribution to the Government's action for cities programme, there are 16 inner-city task forces. Their function is to generate enterprise in defined areas of particular deprivation and to create training and employment opportunities for the residents of those areas. In aggregate their budget for expenditure on projects in 1990–91 is £20.4 million. Task forces are located in:
- London (4)
- West (North Kensington and Hammersmith)
- Spitalfields
- Deptford
- North Peckham
- Birmingham
- Bradford
- Bristol
- Coventry
- Derby
- Hartlepool
- Leeds
- Manchester
- Merseyside (2)
- Toxteth (Liverpool)
- Wirral (Birkenhead)
- Middlesbrough
- Nottingham