§ Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, when considering reductions in public expenditure, he will exempt public expenditure in the development areas from such reductions.
§ Mr. DiamondThe Government's object is not so much to reduce public expenditure as to keep the increase within certain limits. We take the special circumstances of the development areas into account in various programmes where it is appropriate to do so, but we cannot undertake that public expenditure in development areas will be unaffected by the limitations on the overall increase.