§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many widows of deceased colliery workers are currently receiving additional payment under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1965; if she will amend the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Colliery Workers Supplementary Scheme) Amendment and Consolidation Order 1970 to enable the supplement to be uprated; and what would the current level of supplement be if it had been up-rated in line with increases in disablement pension, invalidity benefit, and dependants allowances which the additional payment supplements.
§ Mr. O'MalleyOn the latest date for which figures are available, 31st December 1974, there were 9,353 widows receiving an additional payment under the Colliery Workers Supplementary Scheme. If supplements had been uprated in line with the industrial disablement pension540W and death benefits the rates of supplementary disablement and dependants' pension would be £7.68, for 100 per cent.disablement, and £7.14 respectively. The scheme does not supplement incapacity benefits. The scheme is run and financed by the coal industry and is not a part of the social security system. Amendments to the scheme would accordingly be made only at the instance of the national committee of the scheme which is mainly constituted by the National Coal Board and the miners' unions.