HC Deb 13 July 1970 vol 803 c123W
74. Mr. Bryant Godman Irvine

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will abolish the payment of supplementary benefits to those who are on official or unofficial strikes or to their dependants.

Mr. Dean

Benefit is not paid to strikers for their own needs save in isolated and exceptional cases. The idea of denying all benefit to their wives and children, so that if a strike went on they would be left to starve, has no place in the policy of the Government. This is not to say that present arrangements could not be improved, and the Government will consider this area of the social security field closely.