asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state the total amount of industrial development aid from the central Government to Cornwall and Wales, respectively, both absolutely and per head of the insured population, in the latest financial year.

The information is not available in precisely the form requested. Following is the information relating to the South-West assisted areas, which include the whole of Cornwall, and Wales:Estimates of the expenditure on assistance to industry in the South-West assisted areas and Wales during the 1977-78 financial year are as follows:

	1977–78
	£
South-West assisted areas
Total expenditure*	9 million
Per capita of insured population	30·67
Wales
Total expenditure*	91·4million
Per capita of insured population	85·02

In addition, under the various schemes of selective assistance to industry operating under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 the following sums were offered in aggregate to companies in the South-West assisted areas and Wales:

	1977–78
	£
South-West assisted areas	2·3 million
Wales	1·3 million
*This expenditure includes regional development grants, regional selective financial assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, and Local Employment Act assistance.