§ 41. Mrs. Knightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is now able to make a statement on the payment of welfare payments to the families of strikers.
§ Sir K. JosephI have nothing to add at present to my reply to my hon. Friends the Members for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) and Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Madel) on 23rd February.—[Vol. 812, c.83; Vol. 812, c. 298–300.]
§ 52. Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reduce the amount of supplementary benefit paid to unofficial strikers and introduce an amended system of welfare benefits to such families whereby only the dependants benefit from such payments.
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§ Sir K. JosephSupplementary benefit is only paid for the requirements of persons involved themselves in a trade dispute where hardship can be proved.
During 1970 there were 729 such payments to about 400 such persons at a total cost of £2,191. Supplementary benefit is payable for the dependants of a person involved in a trade dispute whether the dispute is official or unofficial. During 1970, 233,513 payments to the dependants of about 114,000 persons disqualified from receiving benefit for themselves totalled £1,445,912. As my hon. Friend knows, the Government has been reviewing the payment of supplementary benefit during industrial disputes and I hope to make an announcement before long.