§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they can estimate the net cost of unemployment to public funds, including loss of receipts from Income Tax, VAT and National Insurance.
§ Viscount UllswaterThe latest available estimate of gross benefit payments to the unemployed in 1991/92 is £7.36 billion. The cost of administering unemployment benefit in 1990–91, the latest year for which figures are available, was £182 million for the same period. Administration costs for other benefits paid to the unemployed cannot be separately identified. Estimates of tax revenues foregone are not available.