§ Dr. LadymanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each offer of regional selective assistance made during 1997, the percentage of the project's capital cost represented by the grant offered; and if he will indicate, for each offer, if it related to an area of full or intermediate assisted area status. [33704]
§ Mr. WilsonEach year there are more than 200 offers of Regional Selective Assistance in Scotland. Information about the capital costs of individual projects is commercially confidential. The percentages of grant to capital costs for the total of RSA offers in 1997 in the Scottish Development Areas range from a minimum of 2.8 per cent. to a maximum of 29 per cent., and 2.8 per cent. to 14.9 per cent. respectively in Intermediate Areas. These figures are calculated on the basis of Net Grant Equivalent, which is expressed as the discounted value of grant, net of tax, as a proportion of the discounted fixed capital costs. These vary widely according to the type of project and reflect the selective nature of the RSA scheme whereby projects are secured for the minimum necessary costs.