asked the Minister for Local Government the cost to the Exchequer of the employment allowance on rates for workers engaged in agriculture under the Rates on Agricultural Land (Relief) Acts in 1957-58 and in 1971-72; if there has been a reduction in the cost; and, if so, if he is in a position to increase the rate of the allowance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Allowances.
69.
The amounts paid to local authorities in respect of employment allowances under the Rates on Agricultural Land (Relief) Acts in 1957-58 and 1971-72 were £1,272,429 and £728,248 respectively. The form of the various agricultural grant allowances was widely different in these two years. The overall effect was that the combined allowances totalled £5,490,128 and met 44 per cent of the rates on land in 1957-58 while in 1971-72 the allowances totalled £24,386,669 and met 68 per cent of the rates on land.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the question relates to employment allowances solely and that the figures which he gave in the latter part of his reply do not relate to the question asked? Would he state in relation to the employment allowance, in view of the fact that there has been a substantial reduction despite inflation, whether there is room for an increase in the rate of the allowance?
The Deputy is correct in saying that the second part of my reply relates to other things as well as to agricultural employment, but after all that sum amounts to 68 per cent of the rates.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say, in view of the reduction in the cost to the Exchequer of the employment allowance, whether there is room for an increase in the rate of the allowance?
There have been much more than compensatory grants over and above that.
Surely it is not an incentive to employing men. It is only a joke.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.