§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many loans under the valleys loan scheme have been made to date; what is the total value of such loans; how many jobs they have created or safeguarded; and how many of the recipient firms are still in business.
§ Mr. David HuntSince 1 April 1988, a total of 178 loans have been placed by the Welsh Development Agency to companies in the valleys programme area. The total value of these loans was just over £1.5 million with an expectation that 799 new jobs would be created. One hundred and twenty-seven—71 per cent.—are in place, with a projection of creating over 550 new jobs and a value of £1.2 million. These figures include loans made under the valleys small loan scheme, the valleys enterprise loan scheme and the rural small loan scheme.
Value of grant paid by year (£ million) Scheme 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 Regional Development Grant II1 7.3 9.9 17.2 7.7 6.9 Regional Selective Assistance 8.7 9.3 11.6 8.2 7.1 Regional Enterprise Grants2 — — 0.1 0.2 0.5 Total 16.0 19.2 28.9 16.1 14.5 1 RDGII closed to new applications 31 March 1988. 2 Scheme introduced 1 April 1988.
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the annual changes in unemployment by local authority districts in the valleys
Unemployed Claimants—Annual changes (October to October) District1 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 Blaenau Gwent -651 -725 -500 594 Torfaen -346 -473 -53 648 Islwyn -542 -773 -86 557 Merthyr Tydfil -462 -386 35 397 Cynon Valley -377 -721 -163 880 Rhondda -805 -702 123 973