§ Mr. Stallardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the light of decisions announced in his Budget statement, he will revise the figure of £180 million estimated savings in the social security budget in the part-year 1983–84, given in his autumn economic statement, paragraph 2.25.
§ Mr. Brittan[pursuant to his reply, 24 March 1983, c. 496]: The effect on the social security programme of the decision to revert to the historic method for uprating social security benefits will not be known until after the rate of inflation between May 1982 and May 1983 is published in June. Other decisions announced in the Budget will increase the social security programme by about £120 million, the cost of which will be met from the contingency reserve.