asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give aid to the machine tool industry for stockbuilding.

As announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12th February, the National Enterprise Board is discussing with the machine tool industry possible arrangements for financing the stockpiling of machine tools on a commercial basis. The industry is already benefiting from orders stimulated by assistance given under the Industry Act, especially the assistance given for bringing forward deferred investment projects and the assistance to British Leyland.