§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing how many people were made redundant in each of the nationalised industries for which he has responsibility in 1979 and 1980, the total cost of redundancy payments, and the minimum, maximum and average payments made in each case.
§ Mr. David HowellIn the financial year 1978–79, 11,470 people received benefits from the redundant mineworkers payments scheme, of which 3,389 were made redundant in that year, at a total cost of £16,464,524. The corresponding figures for 1979–80 were 8,728, 1,887 and £15,411,898 respectively.
So far as the nationalised gas and electricity industries are concerned this is a matter for each board and I am writing to the chairmen to ask them to reply to the hon. Member.