Mr Major’s Written Question on Statutory Sick Pay – 17 June 1981

Below is the text of Mr Major’s Parliamentary written question on Statutory Sick Pay, published on 17th June 1981.

Mr. Major Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has new proposals concerning statutory sick pay; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin As I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney) on 12 February – [Vol. 998, c.418.] – I have delayed the introduction of legislation for a statutory sick pay scheme until next Session in order to give further consideration to the question of how to compensate employers for their additional costs.

My Department is today publishing a consultative document which seeks views and comments by 4 September on two new options, each of which relates the compensation more closely than under previous proposals to individual employers’ statutory sick pay costs. My Department will be consulting a number of organisations on these options and the document is available to the public. Copies are available to hon. Members in the Vote Office and a copy has been placed in the Library.

The Government recognise the importance of devising a fair and workable method for compensating employers for the statutory payments they will be required to make, and will take full account of views expressed in formulating the measure they will bring before Parliament in the coming Session. It is the Government’s intention that a scheme of statutory sick pay should operate from April 1983.

An annex to the consultative document puts on record some other changes to the Government’s proposals for statutory sick pay, which have been made in the light of the comments received on the April 1980 Green Paper, “Income During Initial Sickness: A New Strategy,” Cmnd 7864. The annex also discusses the question of the provision of medical evidence during incapacity.