§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 22 October 1998,Official Report column 1174, when the payments of regional selective assistance were made to Siemens; and to what purposes the sums offered but not allocated were transferred. [58120]
§ Mr. Mandelson[holding answer 3 November 1998]: Payments of RSA to Siemens were made in March 1996 and March 1998.
The offer of grant to Siemens was reduced by £5 million in March 1998. This saving was returned to the central budget along with a number of other changes. A payment of £3 million, due in 1998/99, remains within the RSA budget at present. Final allocations for the Department's 1999/2000 budgets, when the final £4 million was due to be paid to the company, have not yet been made. This sum has not, therefore, been specifically allocated elsewhere.