§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her answer of 27 February 1998,Official Report, column 380, if she will provide a breakdown of the figures for non-cyclical social security expenditure between benefits for the (a) elderly and (b) non-elderly. [44653]
§ Mr. FieldThe information requested is set out in the table.
476W
Non-cyclical social security expenditure £ million Year Elderly Non-elderly 1978–79 26,918 16,882 1979–80 26,718 18,277 1980–81 27,025 17,392 1981–82 29,157 18,926 1982–83 30,532 19,626 1983–84 31,627 21,328 1984–85 31,943 22,213 1985–86 33,082 22,694 1986–87 34,453 23,774 1987–88 34,475 24,085 1988–89 33,423 23,802 1989–90 33,958 23,903 1990–91 34,835 25,139 1991–92 36,517 27,735 1992–93 37,673 31,283 1993–94 39,196 34,333 1994–95 39,456 35,661 1995–96 39,826 37,007 1996–97 40,799 38,312 1997–98 41,311 38,740 1998–99 41,820 39,212 1999–2000 42,274 39,819 Notes:
1. Figures have been taken from the 1997 Social Security Departmental Report as well as earlier equivalent publications. The figures exclude the cost of Administration
2. The figures for 1996–97 are estimates of expenditure in that year. Revised figures for the years 1996–97 to 1998–99 have been included in the 1998 Social Security Departmental Report. Figures for subsequent years are not included as they are subject to the findings of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the results of which are expected later this year
3. Benefits have been allocated according to the main reason they are paid in order to provide figures consistent with tables in the Social Security Departmental Report. This means that some benefits, such as Attendance Allowance, have been included in the non-elderly totals shown in the table, even though they may be paid to elderly people.