To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) of 19 October 2007, Official Report, columns 1353-55W, on migrant workers, how many of the 0.3 million additional UK born workers of working age in work between 1997 and 2007 had previously claimed benefit. (175299)

[holding answer 18 December 2007]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 January 2008:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about how many of the 0.3 million additional UK-born workers of working age in work between 1997 and 2007 had previously claimed benefits. (175299)

The estimate of 0.3 million additional UK-born workers of working age between 1997 and 2007 was taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS does not collect information on whether a person was claiming benefit before they entered employment.