§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the value of regional employment premium paid to industry in Wales during each of the last four years, the estimated value for the current year and the estimated loss to industry in Wales during each of the next four years as a result of the withdrawal of this premium in the New Year.
§ Mr. Goldingpursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23rd December 1976; Vol. 923, c. 317], gave the following information:
The abolition of the Regional Employment Premium is part of a wider package of industrial measures, which include the retention of the temporary employment subsidy until the end of April 1977. The measures as a whole are designed to 377W reduce the level of unemployment in 1977 compared with what it would otherwise have been.
The estimated payment made in respect of regional employment premium for the Welsh development area were:
Financial Year £ million 1972–73 13 1973–74 15 1974–75 22 1975–76 31 For the current financial year the estimated amount paid to the end of November 1976 is £23 million. Had REP continued the estimated amounts payable would have been:
Financial Year £ million 1976–77 32 1977–78 25 1978–79 26 1979–80 27 1980–81 28