§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether there has been delay in the payment of European Economic Community redundancy grants to former steelmen to make up wages, where necessary for those in new jobs and to pay for those being retrained.
§ Mr. Michael MarshallThe very large number of redundancies in the steel industry in 1980 has led to some delay in recent months in the payment of benefits due under the provisions of the joint Government/European Community iron and steel employees readaptation benefits scheme. As I explained in a reply to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mr. Jones)—[Vol. 997, c. 172–3]—on 21 January, information from several sources has to be collated before payments due can be calculated. Efforts are being made to clear outstanding payments as quickly as possible.