§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current estimated number of men over 60 years now not required to sign on at unemployment benefit offices as a result of the April 1983 Budget measures.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe 1983 Budget provisions resulted in an estimated 162,000 men over 60 no longer having to sign on, in the United Kingdom, during the period April to August 1983. No estimates are available of the number currently affected although the total should be little changed since the number of men who have subsequently become eligible under the Budget provisions will have been broadly offset by those previously eligible reaching retirement age.