asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the costs, to the latest available date, of unemployment benefit paid in the North-West Region of England, in the current year; and what were the figures for each of the last five years.
The estimated expenditure on unemployment benefit in the North-Western Region of England in the first half of 1975–76 and in each of the previous five years is as follows:
| Year | £ million |
| 1975–76 (1st half) | 31 |
| 1974–75 | 35 |
| 1973–74 | 29 |
| 1972–73 | 36 |
| 1971–72 | 38 |
| 1970–71 | 21 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is
The information is as follows:her estimate of the number of men between the ages of 60 and 65 years in possession of a non-State pension drawing unemployment pay, and the annual cost thereof.
I regret that I cannot add to the information given in my reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) on 16th December 1975.—[Vol. 902, c. 578.]
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will declare a moratorium on the payment of non-employed stamps by men of age 60 to 65 years who agree to forfeit the alternative of attending the employment exchange and drawing unemployment pay; and whether she will make a statement.
The position is that, under the Social Security Act 1975, the payment of Class 3 (non-employed) contributions has been made entirely voluntary.