§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of allowing people who have been in receipt of invalid care allowance the option of satisfying the first contribution condition for unemployment benefit on the basis of paid contributions in either of the two years before first claiming invalid care allowance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardIn relation to a claim for a short-term national insurance benefit, including unemployment benefit, the contribution conditions have to be satisfied during the last two complete tax years before the benefit year in which the relevant period of interruption of employment (PIE) starts. The estimated net benefit costs of treating the first day for which invalid care allowance was paid as the first day in the PIE for short-term benefit claims made immediately after payment of invalid care allowance ceases would be in the order of £1 million a year.