asked the Minister for Labour if he will detail all changes in the following payments since the establishment of AnCO: (a) AnCO adult trainee allowances; (b) travel allowances payable to adult trainees; (c) meal allowances payable to trainees; and (d) accommodation allowances payable to trainees; and if he will give details of the basis on which these payments are calculated and on which they are adjusted to take into account inflation and rises in the cost of living.
Written Answers. - AnCO Allowances.
240.
Extraction of the information sought by the Deputy in respect of the period back to the establishment of AnCO in 1967 would involve a very large volume of work which I would find difficult to justify. If the Deputy would indicate a short recent period in respect of which information would be of assistance to him I will be glad to have it compiled as quickly as possible.
In general these allowances have been adjusted regularly by reference to such factors as changes in social welfare payments and rises in the cost of living. However, due to financial constraints, the Government directed in October 1982 that adult trainee allowance rates be retained at their existing levels until they equate with unemployment benefit levels. For the same reasons, increases were not granted in meal allowances in 1983.