§ Mr. Wallasked the Minister of Technology if the money saved by the withdrawal of the selective employment premium from the development areas will be used partly to finance either the Humber Bridge or the approach roads; and what approximate amount it is intended to make available.
§ Mr. CroslandI am replying to this question.
The withdrawal of the selective employment premium is intended to meet expenditure on various measures of assistance to the intermediate areas, of which the main element will be assistance to industry under the Local Employment Act, 1970. However, as my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Economic Affairs said on 30th April, 1969, in his statement on the Humberside Report, part of the cost of the Humber Bridge will count against expenditure to assist the intermediate areas. This is for the purposes of public investment programming and does not affect the method of financing the construction of the bridge.