§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the present period of uncertainty, he will now announce the new measures to replace the regional employment premium, so as to protect the economic interests of Carlisle, Cumbria and the Northern Region.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettNew selective industrial measures formed part of the December package which included the withdrawal of the regional employment premium. These included additional resources for the National Enterprise Board, the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies, and £100 million for a new selective scheme. There will be £80 million for these measures and further sectoral schemes, and an extra £120 million for measures to reduce unemployment, in 1977–78 and 1978–79.102W Since then my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has announced a further extension of measures to reduce unemployment and extra assistance for industrial training. All these measures are likely to have a considerable impact for employment, industry and the economy of the Northern Region.