HL Deb 17 January 1978 vol 388 c89WA
Lord BARNBY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the annual total cost to the Exchequer of the current disbursement for unemployment benefit and for all other social service benefits.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

On the assumptions used in the Government Actuary's report on the 1978–79 contribution rates (Cmnd. 7036) it is estimated that expenditure from the National Insurance Fund in the current financial year on unemployment benefit will be £653 million. For other social security benefits the cost for the current financial year will be of the order of £3,510 million to the Exchequer and £8,672 million to the National Insurance Fund.