HC Deb 24 October 1966 vol 734 cc637-8
47. Mr. Dickens

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has for revising the scales of his Department's resettlement transfer allowances.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

None, Sir. As I informed my hon. Friend on 16th May, these allowances were considerably improved in February 1965.

Mr. Dickens

Is my hon. Friend aware that this is a most disappointing reply? If we are serious about redeploying manpower, we must pay much higher allowances. Is my hon. Friend aware that the allowances are significantly below those paid in the Common Market countries and much inferior to those paid by the National Coal Board in its transfer scheme? Will she reconsider her reply?

Mrs. Williams

We will certainly examine this, together with all policies con- cerning redeployment. But I would remind my hon. Friend that, in addition to the improvements introduced in February, 1965, there are provisions for such expenses as the cost of household removal, free fares for the man and his dependants, and allowances for those who have difficulty in selling their houses in the place from which they come.