§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many employees of livestock markets have been made redundant since their closure under foot and mouth regulations. [19738]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 4 December 2001]: The Department does not have any information on the number of employees made redundant from livestock markets since their closure due to foot and mouth restrictions.
The Employment Service has been collecting statistics of the number of claims made in Great Britain by those who either lost their job or were temporarily laid off as a 127W result of the foot and mouth disease. These are general figures and are not limited to those who worked in markets.
The Employment Service estimates that approximately 6,600 people have submitted claims as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak. However, this figure includes those whose employment has been temporarily stopped (people still under contract to their employer but whose employment is temporarily unavailable, or whose working hours are reduced due to the crisis).