HC Deb 23 March 1988 vol 130 cc161-2W
Mr. Nicholas Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of employees employed under the national dock labour scheme made redundant in each year since its inception and the amount paid in redundancy payments in each year.

Mr. Nicholls

The national voluntary severance scheme, providing for severance payments to registered dock workers, was first introduced in 1969. Numbers severed under this scheme, and the total amount paid, as reported in the annual reports of the National Dock Labour Board, were:

Number of dockers Amount (£ million)
1969 3,006 5.1
1970 3,545 5.8
1971 2,415 3.9
1972 7,647 22.5
1973 3,874 13.8
1974 28 0.1
1975 2,245 10.4
1976 1,611 7.1
1977 1,000 6.0
1978 1,025 6.6
1979 2,112 16.2
1980 2,556 21.5
1981 4,785 68.0
1982 2,787 60.0
1983 1,494 32.0
1984 1,304 30.7
19851 328 7.3

1 January to March.

In October 1985 a new scheme for funding severances was introduced, known as the national employers release arrangement. The corresponding figures are:

Number of dockers Amount (£ million)
19851 202 4.8
1986 1,353 37.4
1987 471 13.0
1 October to December.