Unemployment Benefits

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to the Exchequer has been of unemployment benefits (a) in current prices and (b) as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year since 1997. (285697)

The information requested is shown in the following table.

*Benefit expenditure to unemployed, Great Britain*
	£ million (at 2009-10 prices)
	Housing benefit	Council tax benefit	Jobseeker’s allowance	Total benefit expenditure	Percentage of GDP
1997-98	2,255	413	5,109	7,777	0.7
1998-99	1,820	348	4,571	6,739	0.6
1999-2000	1,581	315	4,102	5,998	0.5
2000-01	1,408	281	3,585	5,274	0.4
2001-02	1,266	247	3,170	4,684	0.4
2002-03	1,270	236	3,093	4,599	0.4
2003-04	1,098	248	2,933	4,279	0.3
2004-05	1,216	243	2,459	3,918	0.3
2005-06	1,271	264	2,527	4,061	0.3
2006-07	1,327	259	2,596	4,182	0.3
2007-08	1,329	251	2,323	3,903	0.3
2008-09 (estimated outturn)	1,645	299	2,909	4,854	0.3
Note: GDP percentages calculated using HM Treasury Budget Report 2009. Source (benefit expenditure): DWP statistical and accounting data.

Volume 496: debated on Monday 20 July 2009