Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of the £80 million package announced to help the local community after the closure of the SSI Plant in Redcar will be used to pay statutory redundancy pay; and how much of the remaining sum will be allocated from other funds for employment support already in operation.

There is some flexibility to meet statutory redundancy payments from the package, but the majority of the fund will go towards supporting training, small businesses and the local economy. Ministers were clear on the components of the package when they first briefed the local taskforce earlier this month. The task force has already submitted proposals for elements of this funding to support economic regeneration in the area which the Department is now considering.