§ Ms. Armstrongasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have for the future of the National Economic Development Office.
§ Mr. LawsonI informed the National Economic Development Council on 1 July of the Government's conclusions that in future the council would meet four times a year and that the work of the economic development committees and similar activities could not be justified on their present scale. A list of those EDCs which the Government consider would justify public funding after the current financial year has now been sent to the NEDC parties. The Government will take final decisions in the light of their comments. As a consequence of these changes there will be a corresponding reduction in the size of the National Economic Development Office.