HC Deb 02 June 1980 vol 985 c561W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the cost of the amendments to the Social Security (No. 2) Bill, approved by the House on 21 May in the current year and in a full year.

Mrs. Chalker

The effect of the amendments approved by the House on 21 May is to reduce the period during which separate spells on benefit may count as oneperiod of interruption of employment to eight weeks rather than six as originally provided for in clause 3 of the Bill. The clause as drafted would have saved some £20 million in a full year. The change to eight weeks should achieve savings somewhat less than the £20 million already estimated, but the precise