§ 51. Mr. Parryasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on his policy towards providing regional estimates of the cost to the Exchequer of unemployment in the light of the study on the subject by Sinfield and Fraser of Edinburgh University, a copy of which has been sent to him.
§ Mr. MacGregorNo. Although the study to which the hon. Gentleman refers uses estimates of benefit expenditure which are consistent with those given' to the House on previous occasions, they include housing benefit which can be paid to people in work. The estimates of revenue forgone, however, are so over simplified as to be meaningless.