§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is now prepared to restore any or all of the reductions in public expenditure announced by him in respect of the special temporary employment programme.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI have no plans at present to alter the scope or nature of the programme although I have made certain technical modifications to ensure an orderly rundown of the programme outside the new STEP areas and my Department's cash limits have been adjusted to take account of commitments already incurred when the programme was restricted which were greater than estimated at that time. The programme of special measures for 1980–81 is being reviewed and I shall be announcing our proposals for STEP and the other measures during 1980–81 before the end of the present financial year.