asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors have led him to conclude that the figure of £180 million given in paragraph 2.25 of the autumn economic statement is an appropriate amount by which to reduce the social security budget; and if such a reduction took place across the broad range of benefits, approximately what percentage adjustment this would entail.

This represented a judgment on the part of the Government in the context of their public expenditure programme as a whole of the amount that should be taken into account in settling the size of the social security programme, having regard to the overshoot at the 1982 uprating. If such a reduction took place across the broad range of benefits, this would entail a percentage adjustment of about 1·7 per cent.