§ Mr. John Pageasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the amounts paid out in social security benefit to strikers and their families separately, showing the number of strikes involved, and number of man days lost in each year since 1950.
§ Mr. DeanThe following is the information required:
families separately during the recent dispute; and how much these payments cost his Department in administration.
287W
§ Mr. DeanThe information required is as follows:
Amount of supplementary benefit paid Week ended To strikers £ To dependants £ 11th January 600 Nil 18th January 68,607 21 25th January 969,047 3,049 1st February 891,157 20,761 8th February 920,659 31,709 15th February 971,158 35,749 22nd February 958,904 38,973 29th February 590,689 22,397 Totals 5,370,821 152,659 The administrative cost of paying supplementary benefit is not yet available.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the latest total cost to public funds of supplementary benefit payments to strikers involved in the industrial dispute at British Leyland, Bathgate, to their dependants, and after resumption of work; and whether he yet has details of the administrative costs to his Department arising from this strike and the Chrysler Linwood dispute;
(2) what has been the total cost to the Supplementary Benefits Commission of payments made to those involved in the British Leyland strike at Bathgate and their dependants, including the cost of administrative arrangements and payments made after the resumption of work.
§ Mr. DeanThe amount paid up to 29th February in the dispute at British Leyland, Bathgate was £11 to strikers themselves and £29,204 for dependants. This dispute is still on. The administrative cost of paying supplementary benefit in this dispute is not yet known. The administrative cost of paying benefit in the Chrysler Linwood dispute was about £4,000.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the latest total cost to public funds of supplementary benefit payments to strikers involved in the mining strike, and their dependants, of payments made after return to work, and of administrative arrangements made by his Department to provide such payments;
(2) what has been the total cost of payments made to those involved in the 288W miners' strike and their dependants to the Supplementary Benefits Commission, including the cost of administrative arrangements and payments made after the resumption to work.
§ Mr. DeanFrom the beginning of the dispute to 29th February, £152,659 was paid to the strikers themselves and £5,370,821 for their dependants. Payments made after return to work are not yet known, nor is the administrative cost of paying supplementary benefit in this dispute.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total cost to public funds of supplementary benefit payments to strikers and their families after settlement of the recent Linwood strike; and whether, in view of the amount of these payments, he will now expedite the study into application of the refund provisions of the Social Security Act, 1971.
§ Mr. DeanThe amount of supplementary benefit paid after return to work was £46,732. The provisions of the Social Security Act, 1971, relating to the recovery of supplementary benefit paid after resumption of work will come into operation on 3rd April.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost to public funds of supplementary benefits payments to strikers and their dependants during and after industrial disputes, together with administrative arrangements necessitated thereby, during the first two months of 1972; and how this total compares with the total paid out in national assistance to those involved in industrial disputes and their dependants over the whole of the period 1951–1966.
§ Mr. DeanFrom 1st January to 29th February, 1972, the total amount of supplementary benefit paid out during and after the larger disputes including the miner's strike was £5,707,325. The administrative costs are not yet known.
During the years 1951–1966 the total cost of payments of national assistance during and after strikes was £1,166,076. The administrative costs are not known.