§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he has studied the report of the Borders joint committee on the case for continued development assistance; and if he will make a statement on its recommendations;
(2) if he will now reconsider the decision to take away from the Borders region the status of assisted area; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will designate the Borders region as a regional development area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YoungerThe Borders region at present has intermediate area status, having had development area status until 31 July 1980. Under the Government's proposals for changes in the coverage of assisted areas, it is due to lose its intermediate area status after 1 August this year. I have received from the regional council and district councils in the Borders a document putting the case for the retention of assisted area status. The views put to me will be taken into account in our review of the circumstances of those areas which are due to become non-assisted in August as a result of being downgraded by more than one step.
Gross weekly earnings of full-time employees whose pay was not affected by absence Tayside Scotland Category April 1980 April 1981 Percentage April 1980 April 1981 Percentage change change £ £ £ £ Men (21 or over) Manual employees 98.2 109.0 11.0 112.2 124.8 11.2 Non-manual employees 131.9 155.2 17.7 139.6 161.8 15.9 All employees 109.3 127.2 16.4 123.1 140.0 13.7 Women (18 or over) Manual employees 65.4 72.3 10.6 66.3 73.3 10.6 Non-manual employees 68.9 93.9 36.3 78.2 92.5 18.3 All employees 67.6 87.0 28.7 74.7 87.1 16.6 SourceNew Earnings Survey.