HC Deb 25 January 1988 vol 126 c99W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost to public funds of unemployment within the Sheffield, Brightside constituency for the year ended December 1987, including benefits paid and tax and national insurance cost.

Mr. Portillo

I regret that it is not possible to estimate the total cost of unemployment, to include tax and national insurance contributions forgone, because of the number of factors that could affect this. The cost of paying benefit in 1987 to those unemployed in the Sheffield, Brightside, constituency could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.