asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report annual figures since its inception, for the value of sales, trading losses, capital amounts written off and Government assistance by type, for the Strathearn Audio Company.
The information is as follows:
| All figures are in £000s | ||||||||||||
| 13 months ended 31 December 1974 | Year ended 31 December 1975 | Year ended 31 December 1976 | Year ended 31 December 1977 | Year ended 31 December 1978 | Total to 31 December 1978 | |||||||
| Volume of Sales | … | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | 156 | 209 | 343 | 708 |
| Trading Losses | … | … | … | … | … | … | 490 | 1,345 | 2,696 | 3,102 | * | 7,633 |
| Government Assistance: | ||||||||||||
| Department of Commerce: | ||||||||||||
| Grants | … | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | — | 461 | — | 461 |
| Loan Capital | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | — | 330 | 2,000 | 2,330 | |
| Northern Ireland Finance Corporation: | ||||||||||||
| Loan Capital | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Equity Capital | … | … | … | … | … | 750 | 2,250 | 1,000 | — | — | 4,000 | |
| Northern Ireland Development Agency: | ||||||||||||
| Loan Capital | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | 597† | 1,544 | — | 2,141 | |
| Equity Capital | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | — | 1,668 | 250 | 1,918 | |
| Department of Manpower Services: | ||||||||||||
| Training Grants | … | … | … | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | 172‡ | |
| * The actual figure for this year is not yet available as the audited accounts are not finalised. | ||||||||||||
| † This loan was made by NIDA under direction from DOC. | ||||||||||||
| ‡ These grants were paid during the period 1974 to 1977 but the annual breakdown is not readily available. | ||||||||||||
In addition, the company received training grants totalling £100,055 from the European social fund. The Department of Commerce also assisted the company through the provision of factory premises for rent.
It is assumed that by "capital amounts written off" the hon. Member is referring to the write-off of equity and loan capital provided by the Northern Ireland Finance Corporation and the Northern Ireland Development Agency, together with the accumulated interest charges. At the beginning of 1977, £5,397,074 was written off.