asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether, when making decisions on public funding of sensitive areas of industry such as the furniture industry, he will take into full account any adverse effects on firms in the same industrial sector which do not receive any aid from public funds.

The Welsh Office is responsible for determining applications for regional selective assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972. To qualify for this type of assistance projects must contribute some net economic benefit to the regional and national economy. The effect which projects are likely to have on existing United Kingdom producers is taken into account in assessing whether or not they satisfy this criterion.