asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the first payments will be made to employers under the job splitting scheme.

The scheme is a new employment measure announced by the Chancelor on 27 July 1982 to commence this month. Initial claims are now being received and provision has been made in the 1982–83 Winter Supplementary Estimates under Class IV Vote 14 Subhead A6. Pending Parliamentary approval of the Estimates expenditure will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.