asked the Secretary of State for Industry if his Department has ever requested any firm which has ceased to use assets, plant and machinery provided under either the first or second stages of the wool textile industry scheme, and has declared redundancies within five years of project completion, to repay grants; and if he will give details.
Under the first stage, wool textile scheme grants paid were reclaimed from 28 firms which took assets, plant and machinery out of use. The total reclaimed was £130,239.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give details of the amount of grant, associated employment change and year of completion, of projects which obtained assistance under both stages of the wool textile industry scheme.
The following table shows the number of projects completed in the two wool textile schemes in each year and the amounts paid:
| Year | No. of Projects | Amount Paid |
| 1974 | 19 | £1·2 million |
| 1975 | 30 | £3·8 million |
| 1976 | 23 | £3·3 million |
| 1977 | 46 | £4·8 million |
| 1978 | 61 | £3·5 million |
| 1979 | 14 | £2·5 million |
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the loss of employment directly associated with projects approved under the first and second stages of the wool textile industry scheme; and if he will give details for West Yorkshire and for the United Kingdom as a whole.
Participants in the first stage of the wool textile scheme, according to a study carried out by the economic and statistics division of the Department, declared 3,563 redundancies as a direct result of their projects. No separate figure is available for West Yorkshire. No figure is yet available for the second stage scheme, which will not be completed until 31 December 1979. I am arranging for a copy of the report on the first wool textile industry scheme to be sent to the hon. Gentleman.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms which obtained assistance under the first and second stages of the wool textile industry scheme have since declared redundancies which were not a declared part of the projects financed, or have closed completely; and if he will give details of the loss of employment arising in West Yorkshire and in the United Kingdom as a whole.
I regret that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms in West Yorkshire and in the United Kingdom as a whole have obtained financial assistance under the second stage of the wool textile scheme; and if he will make a statement on the scheme's achievements.
Under the second stage of the wool textile scheme 52 offers of financial assistance were accepted by firms in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. For the United Kingdom as a whole the figure was 67. The second stage of the wool textile scheme will not be completed until December 1979. No assessment has yet been made of the effects of this scheme.