§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated cost to public funds of paying unemployment benefit when 1 per cent., 2 per cent., 3 per cent., 4 per cent. and 5 per cent., respectively, of the labour force are unemployed in Great Britain excluding Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. DeanI have been asked to reply.
The cost of unemployment benefit depends not only on the number of unemployed but on the proportion entitled to benefit, but at the rates of benefit proposed in the National Insurance Bill, 1971 the cost to the National Insurance Fund might be of the following order:
Level of unemployment percentage Estimated cost £m. a year 1 50 2 120 3 210 4 310 5 420