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Mr. Grylls
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will issue a consultative paper on a loan guarantee scheme for small businesses to be administered by the joint stock banks; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Mitchell
I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, East (Mr. Bright) on 12 November—[Vol. 973, cs. 894–95]—when he said that the Government are studying possibilities.
| TABLE 1 | |||||||||
| percentages | |||||||||
| 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977* | 1978* | ||
| Wool textiles | … | 10·1 | 11·2 | 0·2 | –13·9 | 1·6 | 9·5 | 2·4 | –0·1 |
| Clothing | … | 4·0 | 5·1 | 9·2 | 1·7 | 5·9 | 2·3 | 4·6 | 5·4 |
| * Provisional | |||||||||
| The underlying figures of productivity have been calculated by dividing the index of output—1975=100–by an index of employment—1975=100. | |||||||||
| TABLE 2 | ||||||||
| Percentages | ||||||||
| 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | ||
| United Kingdom | … | 3·5 | 5·7 | 7·6 | –2·2 | –1·3 | 4·8 | –0·1 |
| Belgium | … | 2·3 | 7·8 | 5·9 | 3·7 | –4·8 | 13·7 | 4·2 |
| France | … | 5·2 | 4·0 | 4·7 | 1·8 | –5·6 | 11·1 | 1·5 |
| German Federal Republic | … | 1·7 | 11·8 | 6·9 | –0·3 | –0·8 | 7·4 | 4·3 |
| The underlying figures of productivity are measured by manufacturing output at constant 1975 prices per manufacturing earner and salaried employee. Figurse for Italy and 1978 are not available on a comparable basis. | ||||||||
| Source: OECD. | ||||||||
Mr. David Mitchell
Expenditure on research and development under the Science and Technology Act by the Department of Industry since 1974–75 was as follows: