§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each scheme operated by his Department under which loans are available, the objectives of the scheme, the number of unrecovered loans, the total value of unrecovered loans, the average number of unrecovered loans for each year since 1990, the average value of unrecovered loans for each year since 1990 and the annual cost of recovering loans.
§ Mr. LangThe table sets out details of the outstanding balances for loan schemes for the private sector operated by my Department. Only one such scheme, crofters building grants and loans, has incidences of repayment arrears; these details are included.
My Department also provides loans from the national loans fund to public corporations. The annual accounts for these are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General and are laid before Parliament.
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Average number of outstanding loans Average value of outstanding loans Schemes and objectives Number of outstanding loans January 1994 Value of outstanding loans January 1994 £000 Year ending 31 March 1991 Year ending 31 March 1992 Year ending 31 March 1993 Year ending 31 March 1991 £000 Year ending 31 March 1992 £000 Year ending 31 March 1993 £000 Annual cost to Department recovering loans £000 Home purchase assistance1 To offer first time house buyers an interest free loan of £600 for up to five years 9 7 9 9 9 0.6 0.6 0.6 Nil Improvement and construction of piers and harbours1 Loans to independent harbour authorities which provide a transport service 5 112 5 5 5 25 24 23 0.2 Forth Bridge and Tay Bridge Schemes1 To facilitate construction, maintenance and operation of river crossings 2 3,339 2 2 2 7,249 5,589 3,800 —2 Scottish Enterprise To provide finance for industrial investment 7 16,673 Nil 4 7 Nil 2,093 2,298 —2 Loans to incoming tenants of crofts To allow tenants of re-let crofts to pay the compensation due for permanent improvements carried out by previous tenant 6 3 15 10 8 0.3 0.3 0.4 —3 Fisheries Act 1955 To assist independent harbour authorities for harbour repair and development to increase the safety of vessels and crews 17 809 30 23 19 28 36 43 1 Crofters building grants and loans scheme Loans to crofters for new house building and improvements, including gas and electricity supplies 6,717 25,826 6,753 of which 412 in arrears 6,776 of which 409 in arrears 6,700 of which 414 in arrears 3.1 average value of 0.5 3.3 average value of 0.7 3.6 average value of 0.8 —3 1Scheme no longer open to new loans. 2Figures cannot be separately identified. 3Figures cannot be separately identified: total annual cost for the 2 schemes estimated at £120,000.