§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for each training and enterprise council area how many firms have received business start-up grants in each of the last 12 months. [42007]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe business start-up scheme was incorporated into the single regeneration budget from 1 April 1994 and ceased as a separate programme on 31 March 1995. For 1994–95, the information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.
Since 1 April 1995, support for new businesses is one of the objectives of the SRB challenge fund. Some 70,000 business start-ups are forecast to be supported under schemes approved in the first challenge fund bidding round. The second bidding round was launched on 12 April and this will provide further opportunities for similar support.