§ Mr. Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current average cost to public funds of a skilled engineer and draughtsman, respectively, being unemployed for a period of 12 months.
§ Mr. Alec JonesThe earnings of engineers and draughtsmen vary, and may overlap, according to the degree of their skills, and separate estimates have therefore not been made. Assuming that the period of unemployment lasts from 10th June 1974 to 8th June 1975, and that the person concerned is a man with a wife and two children under 11, the cost in terms of unemployment benefit paid out and the income forgone from national insurance contributions and income tax would be a total of approximately £2,000. It is not practicable to 539W estimate other costs, direct and indirect, to other public funds that might be affected.