§ 49. Mr. Jesselasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current number of persons registered as unemployed; what is the total cost of providing for them and their families by unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit; and what proportions of the total cost of such provision are met from the social security scheme and from general government revenue respectively.
§ Mr. OrmeOn 13th October 1977, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,457,000 persons were registered as unemployed. The estimated cost of benefits payable because of unemployment in 1977–78 is £1,382 million. This total includes £677 million for unemployment benefit payable from the National Insurance Fund and £705 million for supplementary benefit payable from the Consolidated Fund.