the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average cost to the State and local authorities of maintaining an unemployed householder and his family on unemployment benefits, together with the estimated cost of extra free school meals, rate rebates and other means-tested benefits which may be incurred because of his unemployment.

This information is not available in the form requested. In December, 1971, the average weekly payments of unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for unemployed persons totalled approximately £8 million, but the available statistics do not differentiate between householders and non-householders.