§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the original estimate of contributions towards payments to former registered dock workers made redundant under the terms of the Dock Work Act 1989; what has been the total cost to date of such contributions; what is the current estimate of the final total cost; in how many cases payments of 100 per cent. have been made consequent upon a liquidation and at what cost; and what recoveries have been made from liquidators.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 15 July 1991]: The explanatory and financial memorandum to the Bill which became the Dock Work Act 1989 estimated that the dockworkers' compensation scheme might cost £25 million over three years. It also made clear that no precise forecast could be given. To date, the actual cost to the Government has been £128 million. The final cost is not expected to exceed £141 million. In 18 cases, where employers were in liquidation or receivership, the Department has met the full cost of compensation at a total cost of £33 million, of which nearly £0.5 million has so far been recovered.