HC Deb 31 July 1978 vol 955 cc42-3W
Mr. Grylls

asked the Secretary of State for Industry following his letter to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West, if he will list the categories and circumstances of persons whose circumstances would entitle them to the maximum payment under the draft Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments Scheme) (Great Britain) Order 1978, but who might not necessarily also be entitled to the £3,000 maximum amount payable under the Redundancy Payments Act 1965.

Mr. Les Huckfield

To be eligible for the maximum payment possible under the Redundancy Payments Act 1965 a person must, among other things, have 20 years continuous service with the same employer. The maximum payment possible under the draft Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments Scheme) (Great Britain) Order 1978 is governed, among other things, by the number of years of continuous service in qualifying employment, which need not all be with the same employer. Thus a person who has maintained continuity of qualifying employment, though not with the same employer, may qualify for the maximum payment under the latter scheme but not under the former.

Mr. Grylls

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many employees of British Shipbuilding have qualified for redundancy payments under the Draft Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments Scheme) (Great Britain) Order 1978 at 26th July 1978; and what is their average qualifying earnings.

Mr. Les Huckfield

Neither the number, nor the earnings, of employees of British Shipbuilders made redundant since 1st July 1977 who are eligible for payments under the draft Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments Scheme) (Great Britain) Order 1978 will be firmly established until their cases have been examined in detail prior to payments being made.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report or place in the Library details of the age profile of British Shipbuilders upon which he based his estimate of an average payment of £1,725 million per 1,000 employees receiving benefit under the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Act.

Mr. Les Huckfield

The estimate was based on the following profile of the age of British Shipbuilders' employees:

Age Group Percentage of Total Employees
Over 65 1.1
60–65 7.3
55–60 13.5
50–55 9.4
40–50 23.7
Below 40 45.0
100.0

The acutal ages of those made redundant will not be firmly established until their cases have been examined in detail prior to payments being made.