Social Security Budget

HC Deb 08 March 1999 vol 327 c50W

25. Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the proportion of Government expenditure the social security budget will comprise in 1999–2000; and what it was in 1996–97. [73062]

Mr. Darling

Social Security expenditure accounted for 29.3 per cent. of public expenditure in 1996–97 and it is estimated to be around 28.2 per cent. in 1999–2000.