§ Dr. McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated effect on total benefit expenditure, excluding administration costs, between July 1986 and April 1987, of uprating benefits in July 1986 instead of November 1986.
§ Mr. NewtonOn the assumption in the Chancellor's autumn statement that the movement in prices over the eight months to January 1986 would be of the order of 1 per cent., the July 1986 uprating will add some £270 million to benefit expenditure by the end of the financial year 1986–87. An estimate of expenditure had the uprating taken place in November instead will not be available until the retail prices index for May 1986 is published.