§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will outline expenditure savings to the social security budget each year since 1979–80 up to 1984–85 at current prices for each year and at 1984 prices, in the manner of the answer of 18 November 1982, Official Report, columns 281–2.
§ Dr. BoysonI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Mr. John) on 12 March at columns63–64. The savings given in the reply to which the hon. Member refers have not been recalculated in detail because of subsequent changes and their complex interaction. It would require considerable work, the cost of which could not be justified, to revise all the data for estimates made some time ago and to take into account all the developments affecting the benefits since then.