LACE INDUSTRY (SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH LEVY) (AMENDMENT No. 3) ORDER, 1954 (Hansard, 16 December 1954)

§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (LORD MANCROFT)

My Lords, the two Orders concerning the lace industry which stand in my name on the Order Paper are much the same in substance as the two which your Lordships approved about this time last year. Perhaps I ought to explain why it is necessary to bring forward amending Orders again this year. The reason is that the levies are designed to bring in the same amounts each year. Under Section 9 of the main Act—that is, the Industrial Organisation and Development Act, 1947–the rates of levy must be specified in the Orders. At the request of the industry, these rates are based on activity in the industry in given periods which are brought forward annually. Since activity varies from year to year, the rates must be varied to bring in the same amounts, and this requires annual amending Orders. The other changes brought about by the first Order were requested by the industry. The employers' associations and the trade unions have been consulted and have raised no objections. The proceeds of the levy amount to £10,000 a year and are used to finance the Lace Research Association. The Association, which obtains a grant from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and also receives contributions directly from industry, has done much useful research for the lace industry and has an ambitious and well-balanced programme for the next few years. This Order is, I think, quite uncontroversial. I beg to move.