§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if the reduction in the employment protection element of employers' national insurance contribution is to be a substitute for an increase of redundancy rebates or if he intends to introduce an order to increase rebates during the current Session of Parliament;
(2) how the reduction in the employment protection element of employers' national insurance contributions is to be apportioned between the redundancy fund and the maternity pay fund; and what is the current surplus or deficit in the maternity pay fund;
(3) if, in view of his declared intention to reduce the employment protection element of employers' national insurance contributions, he will now revise the forecasts of the levels of surplus in the redundancy fund given in his written reply of Monday 5 November.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI will reply to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.