§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the basis for his estimate of a £4 billion reduction in the forecast for social security expenditure by 2001 which will occur in addition to the £4 billion reduction due to policy changes he has initiated. [27223]
§ Mr. HagueAll projections for 2000–01 were made on the same basis as the projection published in "The Growth of Social Security" 1993.
The total reduction in forecast expenditure projected for 2000–01 is £7.8 billion. Of this, £4 billion is due to policy changes. Approximately £2.1 billion of the difference is 494W due to the use of a lower unemployment assumption than that used in "The Growth of Social Security" reflecting the reduction in unemployment which has already occurred.
The remaining £1.7 billion is the net effect of a wide range of forecasting changes due partly to the use of more up-to-date information on trends in benefit case loads and expenditure and the use of improved forecasting techniques.
Note:
All figures are in 1994–95 prices.
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estiamte what it will cost each working person per day to finance social security expenditure by 2000–01. [27219]
§ Mr. HagueTotal social security benefit expenditure in 2000–01 is estimated at £98.1 billion in 1994–95 prices, including administrative costs at 1994–95 levels. This is approximately equivalent to £16 per working day on the basis of the current working population.