asked the Minister for Finance if he expects that the reduction of corporation tax to 10 per cent will assist employment; the number of firms who will benefit; and if the reduction in the tax is qualified by the requirement that the firm in question must expand employment.

I am confident that the new scheme will lead to substantially increased employment. However, as it will not come into operation until 1 January 1981, it is not possible at this juncture to forecast the number of companies which will benefit from the scheme.

There will be no requirement that employment be increased in order to benefit under the scheme. The Government are satisfied that the scheme will be more successful without such requirement.