Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of spending on social security in Wales in each of the last five years(a) in total and (b) as a percentage of the United Kingdom total broken down to show spending on (i) benefit payments, (ii) Wales's pro-rata share of United Kingdom administration costs and (iii) actual spending on central and local administration and the branch network for facilities in Wales. [92644]
§ Mr. TimmsDSS accounts for its administrative costs operationally (by Agency and Business Unit). It does not maintain accounting records by geographical territory and 675W it is therefore not possible to provide reliable expenditure information covering all Departmental operations in the format requested. An estimate of Social Security Benefit Expenditure in Wales in the past five years can be found in the table.
Estimated Social Security benefit expenditure in Wales (and as a percentage of Great Britain expenditure) Expenditure (£million) Percentage 1994–95 4,910 6.1 1995–96 5,160 6.1 1996–97 5,540 6.3 1997–98 5,490 6.2 1998–99 5,660 6.2 Note:
1. Expenditure excludes payments of certain benefits to people living overseas
1998–99 Expenditure AD7 Wales Salaries Goods/services Estate costs Total spend Operational Directorate East 18,588,724 1,436,343 — 20,025,067 Operational Directorate North 10,928,534 988,656 — 11,917,190 Operational Directorate West 16,136,083 1,311,969 — 17,448,052 Other 10,485,323 17,585,267 9,846,196 28,070,590 Total 56,138,664 21,322,235 9,846,196 77,460,899 Note:
1. Other—This covers all expenditure on Human Resources Directorate, Fraud Investigation Services, Area Directors Support Team, Facilities Management Team, Voluntary Early Retirement and Finance and Business Development Directorate.
2. Estate Costs are charged at Area level only and are therefore included in other.