§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money has been paid out so far in the current year in supplementary benefit payments and housing costs for (a) strikers' and (b) strikers' dependants.
§ Mr. OrmeUp to 3rd October 1978, —1⅔ million has been paid out in supplementary benefit for strikers' dependants and £4,400 to strikers without dependants. It is not possible to say how much of this was attributable to housing costs. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment tells me that
196W
Strikers' Dependants Strikers Week ending Amount Number of Payments Amount Number of Payments £ £ 3rd October 1978 … … … 53 2 10 1 10th October 1978 … … … 112,191 7,424 10 1 17th October 1978 … … … 154,681 10,741 30 2 24th October 1978 … … … 127,919 10,106 24 2 31st October 1978 … … … 161,951 13,152 4 1 the value of child additions paid to claimants during sickness and unemployment benefit.
Mr. OrameFollowing is the information:
the amount of rent rebates and allowances and rate rebates received by people on strike is not available.
§ Mr. John Pageasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the amounts paid out weekly in supplementary benefit to the families of strikers and to strikers themselves, with numbers in both cases, and the special administrative costs involved in connection with the present industrial dispute at the Ford Motor Company.
§ Mr. OrmeThe information is as follows:
197WThe administrative costs of dealing with claims arising from the dispute cannot be separately identified.