§ Q129. Mr. Wigleyasked the Prime Minister if she is yet in a position to announce the final cost to the Exchequer of the mining strike.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will deal with this in his Budget statement this afternoon.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Prime Minister if she will define the serious criminal offences she was referring to in her answer of 5 March, Official Report, column 774, about the coal industry.
§ The Prime MinisterThe dismissal and re-employment of its employees are matters for the National Coal Board. The board has made it clear that all cases are considered on their merits, but that there can be no question of re-employing those who have committed acts of serious violence, intimidation or vandalism. The board has already exercised a considerable degree of discretion over dismissals; there have been over 4,000 convictions for offences relating to the coal dispute compared with some 900 dismissals, of whom 280 have been re-employed. This rate of dismissals is no higher than that which has normally occurred over the past five years in the industry. If any person considers that he has been unfairly dismissed he has the right to take his case to an industrial tribunal.