asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the distribution of State aid to industry in percentage terms in 1986, as between technology acquisition, marketing, research and development, training, machinery, and factory construction in the form of the table on page 42 of the White Paper on Industrial Policy; and if it is expected that the targeted distribution between these uses will be achieved in 1988 as set out in the White Paper.
Written Answers. - Payments to Industry.
104.
The table in the White Paper on Industrial Policy represented an indication of the scale of the proposed shift of resources from capital grants to the new form of incentives for the development of marketing and technology.
The review of industrial performance, 1986, published recently by my Department included in Appendix 4A a detailed analysis of the pattern of State payments to industry on buildings, other fixed assets, training, R & D technology acquisition and marketing by State agencies for each of the years 1983 to 1986. The results of this analysis may be summarised as follows:
% Distribution of Payments to Industry
|
1983 |
1986 |
|
|
Buildings |
2.6 |
4.1 |
|
Other Fixed Assets |
75.5 |
67.1 |
|
Training |
15.1 |
15.6 |
|
R & D Technology Acquisition |
3.8 |
6.0 |
|
Marketing |
3.0 |
7.2 |
I expect to see a continuation in the shift in resources from fixed assets to marketing and technology in the period up to 1988.