§ 34 and 37. Mr. Hiltonasked the Minister of Labour (1) what is the total amount of money given in redundancy payments to date; and what part of this total relates to payments made to workers in the construction industry; and
§ (2) what is the total collected from the construction industry employers in contributions to the redundancy payments fund and the total number of operatives for whom the employers are making a contribution as laid down in the Redundancy Payments Act.
§ Mr. GunterBetween 6th December, 1965, when the Redundancy Payments Act came into operation, and 30th September, 1966, £17,330,000 was paid out in redundancy payments under the Act. It is estimated that about £1,160,000 of this or 6.7 per cent., of which about £900,000 was borne by the Redundancy Fund, related to payments made to workers in the construction industry. It is also estimated that during the same period contributions from employers in the construction industry to the Redundancy Fund amounted to about £1,250,000.
§ Mr. HiltonThe essential part of Question No. 37 was in relation to the number of operatives that this amount covered in payments from employers. I wonder whether the Minister is aware that this information, showing how many workers are officially employed in the industry and covered by the payment, is essential to the unions pressing for information about the growth of labour-only sub-contracting in the industry.
§ Mr. GunterAs my hon. Friend knows, the whole question to which he refers is under discussion between the unions and myself and the employers. I would hope to report progress to him before very long.