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National Insurance Contributions Bill

My Lords, I rise to speak because I grew up and have spent much of my political life in Greater London. Like most Londoners, I would defend to the last any opportunity or benefit that might come to London. However, I recognise that if areas such as Greater London, the south-east and the eastern region—I know the latter region less well—were included in this scheme, they would suck up the overwhelming majority of funds that the Government could make available. At a time of great prosperity that might not matter, but at present those of us who live in the better-off regions have to be conscious of how seriously difficult life can be in other parts of the country, particularly those which are losing a significant number of public sector jobs and are dependent on those jobs. In recognising the situation in places like London and the south-east region, where I hope there will be many new start-ups that would have happened under any circumstances and therefore do not need this extra support, we should also recognise that there are areas of serious deprivation and that the Government should look at programmes that, for example, will work with the mayor and the Greater London Assembly to make sure that the capacity is there to generate new business start-ups, particularly in areas of deprivation where training and job opportunities have not reached the necessary levels. This is an important part of the picture, but we must find mechanisms to come to the aid of the pockets of deprivation in areas of affluence. I understand that this programme deals with areas that have pockets of affluence amid more general poverty and job shortages. We must we find a way to ensure that, through the collective network of programmes, areas of deprivation, no matter where they are, have a mechanism to stimulate an effective future.