§ Lord Dean of Beswickasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the total central government expenditure, individually for each of the last five years, for development agencies in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England; and how many new jobs were created in each of these areas for the same period.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThis information could only be provided at a disproportionate cost to the taxpayer.
In England, there are currently no agencies comparable to the development agencies for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Government spending on economic development in England is disbursed through a number of organisations and departments. Total expenditure figures are not held centrally.
However, the Government recently announced their plans to introduce regional development agencies. The necessary legislation will be presented in due course.