§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is prepared to operate the short-term working scheme at Meccano Ltd., Liverpool.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI shall reply to the hon. Member as won as possible.
§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what unemployment benefits have been and will be paid to workers at Meccano Ltd.
§ Mr. PrenticeI have been asked to reply.
By 13 December 1979 about 70 claims for unemployment benefit had been received from ex-employees of Meccano Ltd. However, all payments of unemployment benefit have been suspended until information has been received about any terminal payments by the ex-employer. Unemployment benefit is not payable in respect of any period for which a claimant receives payment in lieu of notice or in lieu of remunerations.
Our records do not enable me to identify how many claims for supplementary benefit have been made by these ex-employees. Entitlement to supplementary benefit will normally be subject, as is unemployment benefit, to registration for work, and will depend on the claimant's other income including final earnings and any accrued holiday pay.