HC Deb 11 December 1969 vol 793 cc167-8W
80. Mr. Willey

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many miners are still unemployed in the Sunderland area; and how many of them are in receipt of the special mining industry redundancy payments.

Mr. Dell

In the area covered by the Sunderland, Pallion and Southwick Employment Exchanges there were at 10th November, 1969, 375 males registered as wholly unemployed who last worked in coalmining (Minimum List Heading 101 of the Standard Industrial Classification). I am not able to give a precise figures in answer to the second part of the question, but all the 184 redundant mineworkers unemployed at 8th September (the latest date for which I have figures covering this category) were aged 55 and over, and most of these would be eligible for benefit under the Redundant Mineworkers Payments Scheme.