§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Northampton, North on 25 November, what is the status of the severance arrangements for registered dock workers; and whether all payments come from public funds.
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§ Mr. MayhewAs my hon. Friend is aware, severance arrangements for registered dock workers are a matter for agreement between port employers and trade unions in the national joint council. The present arrangements are embodied in a national voluntary severance scheme, which is administered by the National Dock Labour Board and funded by levies on port employers. The Government have recently agreed to make further loans available to the board for severance purposes. Such loans are, of course, repayable.