Written question asked by Oliver Letwin (Conservative) on Thursday, 26 March 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 April 1998. It was answered by John Battle (Labour) on Thursday, 2 April 1998 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the cost per job of the SIF subsidies for UK shipbuilding over the last two years. - Inc figs. (Holding answer 31 March 1998).

Answer: Mr. Letwin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the cost per job of the SIF subsidies for UK shipbuilding over the last two years. [37118] Mr. Battle: [holding answer 31 March 1998]: Assessments undertaken by my Department indicate that the cost per direct shipyard job of Shipbuilding Intervention Fund grants over the last two years ranged between £3,000 and £4,000. Exact figures depend upon assumptions made on the length of the build-cycle for individual orders and the exact numbers of employees in each yard over that time. The increasing use by yards of external sub-contractors (who are not considered recorded as employees) for many tasks would also reduce this cost, as would the inclusion of employment in the suppliers to the yards.

Secondary information