§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the extra annual cost in unemployment benefit arising from the implementation of the proposal for the early retirement of miners.
§ Mr. OrmeI am informed that the National Coal Board expects that up to about 10,000 men will volunteer for early retirement in the first year when this becomes possible, and that it expects to have to recruit an approximately similar306W number of men to replace them. On that basis, it seems unlikely that there will be significant additional expenditure on unemployment benefit.