§ Sir Clive Bossomasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish a table showing the total cost of unemployment benefit in each of the years 1964–65 to 1969–70, giving separately for each years the amount attributable to any increases in the rate of benefit, including earnings-related supplements;
(2) what was the total cost of unemployment benefit in the years 1964–65 and in 1969–70, respectively; and what proportion of the increase in cost is due to the increase in the numbers unemployed.
§ Mr. Ennals:The figures are as follows:
COST OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT £ million Year Total Cost Amount attributable to increases in rates Earnings related supplement 1964–65 … 45 1 — 1965–66 … 49 8 — 1966–67 … 78 11 9 1967–68 … 122 21 17 1968–69 … 123 26 20 1969–70* … 127 30 22 * Provisional. Leaving aside earnings related supplement, the increase in cost between 1964–65 and 1969–70 was about £60 million a year, of which about half is attributable to the increase in claims.