§ Mr. Gouldasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will estimate the current cost of unemployment in terms of both lost revenue and the payment of benefits including redundancy pay; what ratio this bears to the current level of gross domestic product; and how that ratio compares with similar figures for each of the preceding 10 years.
§ Mr. LawsonEstimates of unemployment benefits and supplementary benefits paid to the unemployed and of expenditure from the redundancy fund in 1983–84, and in each of the preceding 10 years, are given below. It is not possible to give comparable figures for "lost" revenue.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe Government have accepted the recommendations of the working party on free ports that locations for the experimental establishment of free ports should be determined by evidence of trader demand and potential economic viability. A press notice has been 451W published today setting out the criteria under which applications from potential operators will be assessed. A copy of the press notice and of the supporting memorandum of guidance issued by Her Majesty's Treasury will be available in the Library.