asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the average overall cost per job created by the local enterprise development unit in Northern Ireland in 1986 was £4,890, whereas the cost per job created and sustained in the period 1980-1986 under the IDA's small industries programme was £10,100, according to the IDA's 1986 annual report; and his views on the apparently better value for money obtained by the Northern Ireland agency.

I do not accept that the Local Enterprise Development Unit in Northern Ireland have necessarily achieved better value for money than the IDA in the promotion of small industry.

The figure quoted by the Deputy are not directly comparable. The IDA figure of £10,100 represents the cost per job actually created and sustained under the small industries programmes over the period 1980 to 1986. The Local Enterprise Development Unit figure represents the cost per job promoted and covers both manufacturing and service industries. The inclusion of the latter has the effect of reducing the average cost.

A more relevant comparison would probably be between IDA cost per job approved and LEDU cost per job promoted. Under the IDA's small industries programme the cost per job approved in 1986 was £4,921. This compares favourably with the overall LEDU average of £4,890.

Notwithstanding the above, there is a need continuously to strive to achieve the best value for the taxpayers' money. It is for this reason that I have asked my Department to carry out a thorough review of the IDA's small industries programme. I expect to be able to announce the results of this review in the very near future.