To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the conclusions of the first, second and third stage reviews of the regional enterprise grant scheme.

The reports on the first two stages in the evaluation of the regional enterprise grants scheme have been published and are available in the House of Commons Library—"Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grants" by Leslie Hays Consultants Limited and "Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grants—Second Stage" by Segal Quince Wicksteed Limited. A report on the third stage of the evaluation is currently being compiled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what tests of soundness are applied to the regional selective assistance scheme; and what steps are taken to ensure equality of application of such tests in the different regions, Scotland and Wales.

The soundness of the regional selective assistance scheme is tested periodically through evaluation studies which, among other things, assess its cost effectiveness in net job creation. Uniform guidelines, agreed with the Treasury, apply to the operation of the scheme in England, Scotland and Wales and the evaluation studies are carried out on the basis of common criteria.