asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will give the estimated total cost for 1986 of financing unemployment; the corresponding figure for 1982; and the figure assumed for 1986 contained in the national plan Building on Reality, 1985-1987.

The published estimate for 1986 provided £688.81 million for the cost of financing unemployment payments. This provision is under review at present by my Department and the indications are that a saving will emerge.

The cost of financing unemployment in 1982 was £379.48 million. The unemployment cost for 1986 assumed in the national plan Building on Reality, 1985-1987 was about £680 million.