§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West, Official Report, 12 November, c. 294, he will give a breakdown of the £59.8 million paid to the 2,777 registered dockworkers for severance pay, showing on average the number of years worked by these dockworkers and the average amount per year of service of severance pay received by such workers.
§ Mr. WaddingtonThis information is not readily available. The basis for payments made under the 1982 Special National Severance Scheme was:
- (i) a basic payment, unrelated to years of service, of £3,000; and
- (ii) for each full year of continuous service since last registration up to a maximum of 15 years in all, a further sum of £1,300 per year, subject to an overall maximum of £22,500 for men under 61 years. falling to £12,000 for men aged 62¾ but under 63 years. Men aged over 63 were not eligible for severance under the special scheme.