HC Deb 18 December 1995 vol 268 cc867-8W
Mr. Davidson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies have failed to provide redundancy payments for their employees(a) due to company closure and (b) as a result of the employer failing to meet statutory obligations under the terms of current employment legislation for each from 1979 to 1995. [6270]

Mr. John M. Taylor

The information requested is not available.

Mr. Davidson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cases involving the recovery of employees' redundancy payments have been taken to industrial tribunals for each year from 1979 to 1995. [6253]

Mr. Taylor

Information is not available in the precise form or for the full period requested. The number of applications relating to redundancy payments disposed of by industrial tribunals in Great Britain since 1986–87 is as follows:

  • 1986–87: 5,389
  • 1987–88: 3,403
  • 1988–89: 3,223
  • 1989–90: 3,837
  • 1990–91: 5,022
  • 1991–92: 5,234
  • 1992–93: 7,084
  • 1993–94: 8,567
  • 1994–95: 7,478.

These figures include cases withdrawn or settled without recourse to a hearing.

Mr. Davidson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total cost to the national insurance fund as a result of companies failing to meet their obligations to their work forces in respect of the non-payment of statutory redundancy payments for each year from 1979 to 1995. [6252]

Mr. Taylor

The information is given in the table.

The total cost to the national insurance fund was as follows:

Year £million
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
1992–93 161.9
1993–94 130.6
1994–95 89.5
1995–96 150.7
1 April-November 1995.