§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the annual cost560W savings from the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance. [22785]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe current estimates for the savings from the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance are £60 million in 1996–97 and £240 million in 1997–98. These figures are lower than the estimates given in the financial memorandum to the Jobseekers Bill. This is due to the deferral of introduction from April 1996 to October 1996, revised forecasts of unemployment, changes to the transitional arrangements for those in receipt of unemployment benefit when jobseeker's allowance is introduced and the use of more recent data.