To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual cost of unemployment benefit.

For the financial year 1988–89, unemployment benefit is estimated to have cost £1,143 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether social security adjudication officers will automatically treat an unemployed claimant whose income support is suspended for not actively seeking work as suffering hardship so that they only lose 40 per cent. of their personal allowance; whether unemployment benefit recipients will be treated automatically as suffering hardship so long as they fulfil the basic qualifying rules for income support; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether unemployed claimants who are quarterly attenders who have had their benefit suspended for not actively seeking work, have to return their order books; whether they will be paid benefit if they are in hardship; and if he will make a statement.

Where an unemployed claimant receiving benefit has failed to show that he is actively seeking employment, hardship payments of income support may be made. The adjudication officer considers each case on its merits. If he is satisfied that the claimant, or any member of his family, would suffer hardship unless benefit were paid, income support is awarded at a reduced rate. Quarterly attenders who do not satisfy the actively seeking employment condition are required to return their order books.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the claimants affected by his introduction on 10 December of the new benefit rule on claimants earning more than £43 a week he estimates (a) will have an entitlement to income support or other income replacement benefits, and (b) in cases where they have two employers, will not earn enough from one employer to have a National Insurance contribution liability as an employee; and how many of these are married/cohabiting women, lone parents and claimants with intermittent work patterns due to chronic illness and disability.

It is estimated that of around 5,000 people who will lose unemployment benefit as a result of this rule up to 1,000 will qualify for income support or housing benefit. I regret that the other information requested is not available.