§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in theOfficial Report the letter dated 9 November from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Lee) to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow, regarding the payment of arrears of unemployment benefit to former employees of the British Shipbuilders group; what is the precise authority by which these payments have now been authorised; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Lee[holding answer 23 November 1987]: The text of the letter dated 9 November is as follows:
Dear Norman,Thank you for your letter of 25 September about the claims for arrears of unemployment benefit by former employees of the British Shipbuilders group, one of whom is Mr. John Scott of 14 Stonehaven Road, Greenock.I am pleased to tell you that authority has now been given to issue payments equivalent to the unemployment benefit which would have been payable to those redundant employees who, for good reason, did not claim within the statutory time limit. Procedural instructions have been issued via regional offices, and those will shortly receive payment. People who, for one reason or another, cannot be paid any arrears will have been given a written explanation.I hope this explains the position.John LeeThe payments referred to in the letter have been made either in accordance with the normal statutory provisions governing the payment of unemployment or supplementary benefits or delegated authority by HM Treasury. I am pleased to say that the majority of arrears payments due to former employees of the British Shipbuilders group should have been made by the end of this month.