§ LORD JACQUES rose to move, That the Draft Regional Employment Premium (Continuation of Payment) (Winsford) (Amendment) Order 1974, laid before the House in June 25, 1974, be approved. The noble Lord said: My Lords, I beg to move that this Order be approved. From 1966 Winsford was eligible for development area benefits, but this was contingent upon its taking two-thirds of its expanded population from Mersey-side. From 1967, regional employment premiums were paid and the payments were to last for seven years. In 1972, Winsford was not taking enough to justify its development area status. It was downgraded to intermediate status. But by Order regional employment payments were continued to September, 1974, to firms which had established themselves in the area in expectation of these benefits. On April 20, 1972, at column 137, Volume 837, the Minister of State at the Treasury gave an assurance that Wins-ford would get the same arrangements for phasing out the regional employment premium as applied elsewhere. In 1974 my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his Budget Statement, announced that regional employment premium payments would continue while the whole matter was being reviewed.
§ The effect of this Order is to continue to allow regional employment premium payments at Winsford for one year until September, 1975, while the review is taking place. Thus, in accord with the undertaking given in 1972, firms in Wins-ford will get the same treatment as firms elsewhere. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Draft Regional Employment Premium (Continuation of Payment) (Winsford) (Amendment) Order 1974, laid before the House on June 25, 1974, be approved.—(Lord Jacques.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.