§ 47. Sir. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Employment what contribution he expects earlier retirement to make through 1982–83 towards reducing the level of unemployment.
§ Mr. AlisonThere are currently some 74,000 people in the job release scheme. The scheme will run until March 1984 and it is estimated that over 100,000 people will be in the scheme by then. Surveys suggest that between 75 per cent. and 85 per cent. of applications accepted under the scheme result in a reduction in the unemployed register below what would otherwise be the case. It is not possible to estimate the effect of other forms of early retirement on the level of unemployment.