§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many extra staff will need to be employed to cope with the taxation of short-term social security benefits.
§ Mr. Peter ReesI have been asked to reply.
The staff cost of bringing into tax benefits paid to the unemployed from April 1982 will depend on the detailed procedures to be adopted. Until these have been more precisely defined it is not possible to calculate exactly the staffing need. However, offsetting savings would be sought for any additional staff needed.
The procedures and staff cost for bringing into tax the remaining short-term benefits are still under consideration.