LACE INDUSTRY (SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH LEVY) (AMENDMENT No. 2) ORDER. 1957 (Hansard, 11 December 1957)

EARL BATHURST

My Lords, I beg to move that the Draft Lace Industry (Scientific Research Levy) (Amendment No. 2) Order of 1957 be approved. This Order, which will come into operation on January 1, 1958, amends further the main Order made in 1955 and amended a year ago, under which a levy is imposed on the lace industry for the financing of industrial scientific research under the Industrial Organisation and Development Act, 1947. The effect of the Order is to adjust the rates of charge so as to ensure that, despite the changes in the level of trade, the total yearly amount so raised remains approximately as at present—about £10,000.

The proposed changes, which are similar to those made in previous years, have been agreed by the employers' association and trade unions in the industry and are not controversial. The reason that the Order is somewhat complicated is because the lace industry is divided into six sections. By agreement of the industry, firms which, by reason of their nature, are not in the first three sections or categories pay the levy according to the number of machines in their factories during the year in question—in this case, 1958. Firms in the other three categories pay according to the amount of yarn which they purchase; and this Order brings forward the base year for the calculation thereof to 1956. It also further adjusts the rates of levy on persons and firms who newly enter the lace-manufacturing industry under the various categories during the 1035 year in question. This Order is completely non-controversial and has the approval of the lace manufacturing industry. I beg to move that the Order be approved.