§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will examine the working of restart in connection with those who are on the redundant mineworkers pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the regulations as they are currently being applied by his Department.
§ Mr. LeePeople who receive payments under the redundant mineworkers payment scheme (RMPS) are required to sign on at unemployment benefit offices and to satisfy the conditions for receipt of benefit. This will bring them within the restart programme and they are offered interviews in the same way as every other member of the restart client group. The RMPS is the responsibility of the Department of Energy. Officials from my Department and the Department of Energy are examining the RMPS regulations and benefit procedures which bring those en the RMPS within the coverage of the restart programme.