§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of firms sponsored by(a) the Local Enterprise Development Unit, and (b) the Industrial Development Board in Northern Ireland, in each of the last two years, the total sums paid to the firms in each category in those years, the total costs relating to (i) the LEDU and (ii) the IDB and the number of persons now employed in these two groups of firms.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe available information is as follows:
Number of firms which have received offers of assistance Total amounts paid to these firms (£ million) 1990–91 IDB 83 28.79 LEDU 3,011 9.6 1991–92 IDB 59 6.98 LEDU 2,072 5.6 There are currently 25,116 employees in IDB client companies which accepted of assistance in the past two years. It is not possible to provide a similar LEDU figure without disproportionate cost, but there are currently 31,550 employees in all LEDU client companies.