§ Mr. Aspinwallasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the fact that many smaller companies are unable to take advantage of the temporary short-time working compensation scheme, he will seek to reduce the minimum threshold for qualification from the intention to make 10 or more workers redundant to five or more; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI shall reply to my hon. Fiend as soon as possible.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what representations he has received regarding the allocation of non-working days under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will change the rules of the temporary short-time working compensation scheme to make it more flexible with regard to allocating non-working days in specific divisions of four four and five weeks;
(3) what study he has made of the difficulties that are being caused to some firms by his Department's insistence that the allocation of non-working days under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme must be used in specific divisions of four/four ant five weeks; and if he wilt make a statement.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.