§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for Trade what are his proposals for expenditure by his Department in 1980–81.
§ Mr. NottDetailed Estimates for Department of Trade programmes will be published in the normal way after the New Year.
The White Paper on public expenditure in 1980–81, published today, provides for Department of Trade expenditure to be reduced from the level—£199 million—envisaged in the previous Government's plans to £184 million, that is by £15 million—at 1979 survey prices. The greater part of this £15 million comes from carrying forward the 1979–80 savings announced on 12 June. These include the abolition of the Price Commission and the discontinuing of support for consumer advice centres and local price surveys, which will save about £11 million in the full year 1980–81. There will be a small reduction in real terms in expenditure on tourism and export promotion, with a reduction, in accordance with the guidelines already issued by the Secretary of State for the Environment, in local authority expenditure imputed to the Department. There will be some increased expenditure on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
In relation to tourism, there will be no change in the present scope of section 4 assistance, which will continue to be available in the assisted areas; we shall, however, need to consider whether 612W changes will be necessary when the assisted areas boundaries are redrawn in 1982.