This Order makes further changes in the Redundant Mineworkers Payments Schemes scheduled to the Redundant Mineworkers and Concessionary Coal (Payments Schemes) Order 1973 and the Redundant Mineworkers and Concessionary Coal (Payments Schemes) Order 1978. The 1973 Scheme provides for benefits to certain employees in the coal industry made redundant from 10th December 1972 to 25th March 1978. The 1978 Scheme makes provision for employees in the coal industry made redundant between 25th March 1978 and 1st April 1984 and for employees in the coke industry make redundant between 1st January 1978 and 1st April 1984.
A number of changes are made by this Order:
- i
It provides for the addition to the 1978 Scheme of a new table of basic weekly benefit for those who become redundant on or after 6th April 1982 (Article 4(b)(iii) and 4(g)).
- ii
Under the 1973 and 1978 Schemes a coal industry employee who, after a period of eligibility for payments, re-enters the industry and, after at least a year of such re-employment, is again made redundant, may elect to substitute a new relevant date (related to the end of his re-employment) for certain purposes of the Schemes. In respect of such employees first eligible under either the 1973 or the 1978 Scheme and redundant for the second time on or after 6th April 1982 this Order provides, by a new Article 5B of the 1978 Scheme, for a wider right of election, including the purposes of Article 5(1) of the 1978 Scheme, under which weekly benefit payable is calculated, and for the transfer to eligibility under the 1978 Scheme of persons whose first period of eligibility was under the 1973 Scheme. (Article 4(c); consequential restrictions on payments under the 1973 Scheme for those who have made an election are made in Article 3(a), (b) and (c) of this Order). It is further provided in this Order that the number of weeks in respect of which benefit is payable to persons to whom the new right of election is given shall be 260 weeks less the number of weeks (if any) in respect of which they are eligible for benefit solely under the 1973 Scheme (Article 4(e)).
- iii
Under Article 6 of both Schemes basic benefit is reduced by the amount of certain social security and other benefits, but not below a minimum of £8.92. For weeks commencing on or after 6th April 1982 this figure is raised to £9.93 (Article 3(d) and Article 4(d) for the 1973 and 1978 Scheme respectively).
- iv
Under Article 11 of both Schemes provision is made for the rounding off to the nearest five pence of payments of weekly benefit. Provision for rounding off to the nearest penny is substituted (Article 3(e) and Article 4(f) respectively).