§ 47. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has yet completed his review of existing arrangements for the taxpayer subsidisation of industrial disputes.
§ Sir K. JosephI hope to make an announcement about the payment of supplementary benefit in industrial disputes shortly.
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§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total cost to public funds of payments of supplementary benefits to persons involved in the Post Office strikes and their families; and how that sum compares with total payments of supplementary benefits in all strikes during 1970 and 1964, respectively.
§ Mr. DeanTo Tuesday, 2nd March, a total of £2,578,791 was paid for the dependants of persons involved in the dispute, and £3,131 to persons involved in the dispute for their own requirements. These amounts taken together are 78 per cent. more than total payments of supplementary benefit during industrial disputes in 1970 and 50 times as much as in 1964.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much of £2.5 million paid out to strikers and their families in 1970 by the Supplementary Benefits Commission consisted of discretionary payments in cases of individual hardship.