§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total cost of unemployment in each of the years 1979–80 and 1991–92 at current prices broken down by income support, unemployment benefit, housing benefit and rate or poll tax rebate; and what estimate he has made of the extra cost per 100.000 unemployed in 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95.
§ Mr. BurtInformation on the cost of unemployment is not available in exactly the form requested, as the DSS element of housing support was included in supplementary benefit in 1979–80. The available information is given in the table.
Estimates of the extra cost per 100,000 unemployed are given in Figure 25 of the 1992 departmental report (Cm. 1914), a copy of which is in the Library.
£million at 1991–92 prices 1979–80 1991–92 Unemployment benefit 1,516 1,506 Supplementary benefit/income support 1,897 4,143 Housing benefit/community charge benefit 1,713 1991–92 figures are estimated outturn. 1991–92 figures for income support includes social fund expenditure.