§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of paying unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. BurtThe cost in 1991–92 was £1,604 million. The estimated out-turn for 1992–93 was £1,838 million and the plans for 1993–94 account for £1,886 million. These figures are recorded in table 1 of the Department's third annual report—Cm 2213—a copy of which is in the Library.