§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net increase in cost to central Government funds of the rise in unemployment in Wales from the financial years 1979–80 to 1983–84.
§ Mr. Peter Rees[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1984, c. 374]: No meaningful answer can be given. An estimate of the effect of increased unemployment in Wales on the public finances would require hypothetical assumptions about conditions in the economy had unemployment been different from what it actually was.