asked the Paymaster General how many staff are employed in all aspects of paying unemployment benefit and dealing with tribunals and fraud; and how many separate premises they occupy.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 356] Some 29,200 people are currently employed by the unemployment benefit service, of whom approximately 26,400 are directly involved in paying benefits at local offices, 1,000 are engaged in fraud investigation and 600 on the adjudication of benefit claims.There are 1,100 local unemployment benefit offices, of which some 300 are part-time or offer only limited services.