§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated total amount spent on redundancy pay since 1979.
§ Miss WiddecombePrimary responsibility for the payment of statutory redundancy payments lies with employers. Information is not available on the number or costs of payments made by employers.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State may make payment from the national insurance fund to employees whose employer is unable to pay. The redundancy fund was merged with the national insurance fund in February 1991. The cost of payments for each available year is as follows:
£ million Year Cost 1979–80 19.3 1980–81 42.0 1981–82 53.0 1982–83 72.2 1983–84 69.0 1984–85 57.1 1985–86 54.6 1986–87 50.2 1987–88 34.9 1988–89 32.4 1989–90 25.7 1990–91 67.6 1991–92 131.8