§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the underlying rate of growth in social security expenditure in the next 10 years, assuming level unemployment and assuming the full effects of all recently announced changes from the previous year. [20464]
§ Mr. HagueThe latest long-term projections of underlying growth in expenditure were published in the departmental report "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1995–96 to 1997–98", Cm 2813, which stated that recently announced reforms would contain growth between 1997–98 and 2000–01 to 2.1 per cent. a year, assuming level unemployment. Projections of social security expenditure over a 10–year period would be subject to considerable uncertainty.