§ Mr. Woodallasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the overall cost in lost taxes and increased benefits of each additional increase of 1,000 in the number of men out of work.
§ Mr. OrmeI have been asked to reply.
It is estimated that the cost of unemployment and supplementary benefit in 1978–79 would be of the order of £1.2 million a year per increase of 1,000 in the number of men out of work. No estimate can be made of the loss of tax revenue because this would depend on the duration of unemployment, family circumstances and previous earnings.