Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Striking Miners (Benefits) – 13 February 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Striking Miners (Benefits) on 13th February 1986.

Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many miners who were on strike during the period March 1984 to March 1985 were refused benefit in each week after 6 March 1985, when they sought to claim unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit, on the grounds that the strike was not yet over; and how many miners’ families continued each week since 6 March 1985 to suffer a deduction of £16 a week from benefits for their wives and children.

Mr. Major Information is not available about the number of miners who claimed unemployment or supplementary benefit after 6 March 1985 and who were refused benefit because the stoppage of work due to the trade dispute at their place of employment had not yet ended.

The following table shows the numbers of payments made each week from 6 March 1985 to 30 April 1985 (when weekly returns ceased) to miners for their dependants, and in which the £16 statutory deduction was made.

Week Ending | Number of Payments Made

12 March 1985 | 4,665

19 March 1985 | 519

26 March 1985 | 169

2 April 1985 | 94

9 April 1985 | 23

16 April 1985 | 39

23 April 1985 | 19

30 April 1985 | 11