asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money was paid out in unemployment benefit in the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively.

The information available is given in the table.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the residential qualifications he applies to applicants for unemployment benefit.

There are no residential qualifications as such for claimants to unemployment benefit, but the benefit is contributory, so that the claimant must have paid national insurance contributions under the schemes in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, (or into schemes with which we have reciprocal arrangements). The claimant must normally be living in the United Kingdom in order to receive unemployment benefit, though for a claimant who satisfies all the conditions it may be paid for short periods to claimants seeking work in other countries in the European Community.