asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the level of Government aid to industry in the constituency of Macclesfield in 1981-82; and what he estimates it will be in 1982–83.

Assistance has been made available to industry in Macclesfield under parts I and II of the Industry Act 1972 as follows:

	Part I	Part II
	Payments of regional development grant in amounts over £25,000	Section 7 offers of regional selective assistance	Section 8 offers of selective financial assistance
	£'000	£'000	£'000
1981–1982	981	40	17
April-Sept 1982	—	45	—

Estimates for the second half of 1982–83 are not available as payments of RDG and offers of selective assistance are determined by demand.Firms in Macclesfield can also benefit from national schemes of assistance, but expenditure on these cannot be identified without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many factories have been closed and how many opened in the constituency of Macclesfield in 1982.

Eight closures, each affecting 10 or more persons, have been notified in the Macclesfield constituency during 1982. Delayed closures from 1981 may also have occurred and, equally, some of those notified may be delayed into 1983.Statistics are not available for small closures, nor for openings.However, it may assist my hon. Friend to know that two offers of regional selective assistance have been made by the Department of Industry this year which include investment in industrial buildings and that a number of new occupiers are known to have taken existing industrial accommodation. There is little vacant space on the main Hurdfield estate and further preparation of industrial land is under way at Stanley Green and Macclesfield, with some 38 acres to be available by early 1983.