§ 61. Mr. Kenneth Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men and women capable of employment are now in receipt of social security benefit, having run out of time for receipt of unemployment benefit; and at what cost.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe total number of unemployed receiving supplementary benefit in August this year who were not in receipt of unemployment benefit was 730,000. The annual net cost of paying supplementary benefit to this number of people is of the order of £500 million. Separate figures are not kept on the number of people who have exhausted title to unemployment benefit compared with those who have never had title.