§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the Under-Secretary of State's 358W reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report, 15 February, c. 152, he will provide a breakdown of the savings in the social security budget given in the reply of 18 November 1982, Official Report, c. 281–2, by the various categories of benefit recipients.
§ Mr. NewtonThe measures set out in my reply of 18 November 1982—[Vol. 32, c.281–2]—affect to some extent almost all social security benefits. It is not appropriate, however, to distribute the estimate of £1.5 billion mentioned in my reply of 15 February—[Vol. 37, c. 152]—in direct proportion to the distribution by broad groups of beneficiaries of all social security expenditure (for example, on the basis of the breakdown in section 2.12 of the Government's Expenditure Plans 1983–84 to 1985–86 (Cmnd. 8789-II)). That is because the various measures do not affect all groups equally. A breakdown of the estimate in the form requested could be provided only at a cost which could not be justified.