§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be (a) the gross cost and (b) the net cost of paying unemployment benefit (i) to those who are currently disqualified because their contribution record is inadequate and (ii) to those whose entitlement to unemployment benefit has expired; and how many people would benefit in either case.
§ Mr. Rossi[pursuant to the reply, 4 May 1982, c. 30]: The estimates are as follows:
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- (i) Paying unemployment benefit to persons currently disqualified because their contribution record is inadequate would cost about £800 million gross and about £200 million net.
- (ii) Paying those whose benefit is exhausted would cost about £1,500 million gross and £450 million net.
The number of persons benefiting, albeit in some instances by a small amount only, would be about 400,000 and 600,000, respectively.