HL Deb 16 February 1972 vol 328 cc150-1

2.41 p.m.

LORD THOMAS

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether information is available as to whether men on picket duty outside power houses, stores and/or other premises affected by strikes are paid for their services; and, if so, by whom and at what rates, and whether such payments invalidate P.A.Y.E. drawback or social benefits and allowances.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)

My Lords, payments to men employed on picket duty during an industrial dispute may be made by the trade union concerned. I understand that this has happened during the Coal Board strike but I do not know the sums involved. Payments for picket duty have no effect on P.A.Y.E. repayments because they are not emoluments to which the individual's tax coding applies. As regards the effect of picket payments on supplementary benefit, the Supplementary Benefits Commission have decided that where payment is made by the union for picket duty away from home, £1.25 a day of such payment is to be ignored in assessing a striker's resources for supplementary benefit purposes. This amount is intended to cover out-of-pocket expenses when the picket is necessarily away from his home town. Any payment over and above £1.25 is being taken into account in assessing benefit.

LORD THOMAS

My Lords, I am very grateful for the noble Lord's reply, which is entirely satisfactory.

LORD BLYTON

My Lords, the Minister has given some information, but is he aware that the pickets whom we pay are single men who are not entitled under the law to receive any benefit as strikers? The married men who are picketing get supplementary benefit. The rate we pay for the single man is 15s. a day, and he gets only three days a week.

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, who is very well informed in this matter; but I think he will find that there are differences in different parts of the country.