§ Mr. Richard Pageasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, following the statement on social security up-rating by the Secretary of State for Social Services in June, whether he proposes any changes in the legislation under which benefits paid to the unemployed are brought into tax.
§ Mr. RidleyNo. After the restoration next November of the 5 per cent. abatement of unemployment benefit, a small element of the additions to supplementary benefit will be taxable where these are in payment to a person who is a householder. This follows from the general approach, which we propose to maintain for the present, that benefits paid to the unemployed are brought into tax up to the standard rate of unemployment benefit—including the addition for an adult dependant where appropriate.