§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the increase in cost to the Exchequer in a full financial year at current and prospective rates of benefit, and relief from other means-tested benefits, of an increase of 300,000 in the numbers of unemployed.
§ Mr. PrenticeI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the provision made for social security in 1979–80 and 1980–81 in Cmnd. 7746 on the broad working assumption of an average level of unemployed of 1.35 million in 1979–80 and 1.65 million in 1980–81. In this respect I 585W refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Llanelli (Mr. Davies) today.