To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds have been made available by the Industrial Development Board in each of the past three years to Messrs Hartstones Ltd. for its Berkshire plant in Newtownards; if the grant-aided plant and machinery is still on site; and if he will make a statement on the redundancies recently announced at this factory.

In August 1989 the IDB made an offer of assistance of £1,045,200 to Berkshire Hosiery (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of the Hartstone Group plc. The assistance was provided to support a major re-equipment project aimed at securing existing employment and the future development of the company.Since that time some £809,078 of grant has been paid to Berkshire Hosiery (UK) Ltd.—£205,039 in 1989–90, £550,379 in 1990–91 and £53,660 in 1991–92. No grant was paid directly to the Hartstone Group plc.At present all of the grant-aided plant and machinery remains on site.I regret the loss of jobs in the hosiery operation which have arisen from overcapacity in the group. The company has indicated to the Industrial Development Board that its activities at Newtownards will be concentrated on its successful sock business.