HC Deb 05 December 1997 vol 302 cc380-1W
Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the actual expenditure on(a) unemployment benefit, (b) family credit and (c) other benefits to the unemployed for financial years (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97 and 1997–98. [16920]

Mr. Keith Bradley

The information is set out in the table.

1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Unemployment Benefit/Jobseeker's Allowance (contributory based)1 1,102 999 619
Family Credit 1,441 1,739 2,047
Other benefits to the unemployed 7,541 7,272 6,541
1 The figures underly and are consistent with those published for unemployed people in Table 5 of the March 1997 Departmental Report.

Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the predicted levels of unemployment that were used to set the budget for(a) unemployment benefit, (b) family credit and (c) other benefits to the unemployed for the financial years (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97 and (iii) 1997–98. [16954]

Mr. Keith Bradley

The predicted levels of unemployment used to set the budget for all benefits in Great Britain averaged 2.4 million in 1995–96; 2.1 million in 1996–97 and 1.8 million in 1997–98.

Source:

March 1995,1996 and 1997 Departmental Reports.