HC Deb 06 July 1989 vol 156 c248W
Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what approximate correlation exists in each EEC state between the level of social security benefits and gross domestic product per head.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The latest available figures are as follows:

Current Expenditure on Social Protection as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (Eurostat)
1983 1984
Netherlands 33.7 —
Belgium 30.8 29.4
Denmark 30.2 28.7
West Germany 29.1 28.7
France 28.5 —
Luxembourg 26.5 —
United Kingdom 24.1 24.1
Ireland 23.9 23.3
Italy 23.7 23.3

No figures available yet for Greece, Spain or Portugal.