§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his best estimate of the net cost of the employment training scheme taking into account the cost of benefits which would otherwise have to have been paid.
§ Mr. NichollsIn the seven months of the current financial year in which employment training is to operate, the estimated expenditure of the programme is £491 million. Of this, the estimated cost of training allowances, including premiums over and above benefit levels, is £228 million. Expenditure in a full year will of course be substantially more.