Unemployment Benefit

HC Deb 04 April 1990 vol 170 cc693-4W

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what savings in social security payments would have accrued in each of the last two years if unemployment benefit were paid for(a) two years and (b) three years;

(2)what would have been the annual cost of extending payment of unemployment benefit to (a) two years and (b) three years in each of the last two years.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

[holding answer 23 March 1990]: Estimated costs and savings are set out in the table.

	1988–89	1989–90
	£ million	£ million
Extending UB duration to 2 years:
UB cost	340	260
IS/HB saving	210	170

	1988–89	1989–90
	£ million	£ million
Extending UB duration to 3 years:
UB cost	540	400
IS/HB saving	330	260