HC Deb 18 November 1976 vol 919 c684W
Mr. Woof

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to be the total break-down cost to the British economy in terms of lost revenue on present levels of unemployment.

Mr. Joel Barnett

Such estimates would depend on a number of assumptions, for example, about what the unemployed would have earned. It is not possible to provide a general answer.