§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of his Department's personnel manning strike centres, the location of those centres and the cost of each centre for each week of the mining dispute.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 4 May 1984, c. 261]: Approximately 800 staff on average are currently handling mineworkers' claims for benefit. About 160 of these are employed in four special centres in Chesterfield, Stoke—on—trant, Castleford and Ashington. The rest are based in local offices in the main mining areas. The weekly cost of all the additional accommodation involved is £990.
§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will name his Department's offices where personnel have been redeployed to strike centres, the cost of that deployment, and the cost of overtime at these offices where deployment has taken place.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 4 May 1984, c. 261]: Approximately 430 staff on average are being redeployed in small numbers from local offices throughout the regions affected to handle mineworkers' claims for benefit. The estimated weekly cost of their additional travel and subsistence is £56 per person. The estimated weekly cost of overtime incurred is £20,000.