§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the operation of the Equal Pay Act; and what consideration he has given to amendments to the Act.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am generally satisfied with the operation of the Act and have no plans at present to amend it.
Government contribution to administration costs of NDLB* Grants to NDLB for registered dock worker severance Average registered dock worker severance payments† Average payments under statutory redundancy payments scheme‡ Number of registered dock worker severances (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) £ £million £ £ 1970 … — — 1,647 263 3,545 1971 … — — 1,600 292 2,415 1972 … — 16.8 2,946 328 7,647 1973 … — 13.8 3,548 376 3,874 1974 … — — 1,869 404 28 1975 … — — 4,609 524 2,248 1976 … — — 4,384 603 1,611 1977 … 8,798 — 5,986 619 1,000 1978 … 15,349 2.3 6,438 721 1,025 1979 … 21,327 9.2 7,664 873 2,112 * Figures shown are for salary and expenses of chairman and vice-chairman of the NDLB under Schedule 1 to the Dock Work Regulation Act 1976. (Other administration expenses are borne by employers.) † Figures relate to all severances, including those financed by levy under the industry's national voluntary severance scheme. ‡ Average payments to registered dock workers (rdws) are generally closer to the maximum than under the statutory redundancy payments scheme because of differences in mobility and age structure. Rdws are of course excluded from the statutory scheme.