Derek McDowell (Labour)

Even if we take that as a given, it must be possible for the Minister or the Government to make payments on a non-statutory basis that would be equivalent to redundancy payments and backdate them six or 18 months to meet the commitment she made. A similar payment has been provided, for example, under the taxi licence hardship arrangements. No legislation governs that scheme and I do not know whether it is intended to place it on a statutory footing. Legislation is probably not necessary because payments can be made on the basis of regulation. Even if it is accepted that the legal argument holds, the Minister could approach the Minister for Finance and say she has given commitments to a number of workers over a period that need to be fulfilled. It will not be a great cost to the Exchequer but, in terms of good faith, I am sure the Minister would acknowledge privately that the commitments should be met.

I refer to a number of memoranda that deal specifically with the Comerama case. The Minister, undoubtedly, will recall a meeting she had on 12 December with a large number of people, including representatives of the workers—