§ Mr. CrausbyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was paid out from public funds in redundancy payments in lieu of companies in liquidation in the last financial year. [62791]
§ Alan JohnsonFor the financial year ending 31 March 2002 the redundancy payments service paid some £208.7 million to redundant workers out of the National Insurance Fund. Most of their former employers were insolvent but in some cases the service made payments128W where solvent employers were unable or willing to pay. The figure includes statutory redundancy pay, unpaid wages, unpaid holiday pay and payments to compensate workers for not receiving proper notice. It does not include some £15.2 million in tax and national insurance contributions paid on behalf of workers and £2.1 million paid in pension contributions.