HC Deb 11 December 1984 vol 69 c447W
Mr. Willie W. Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement of the likely future trends on long-term unemployment.

Mr. Alan Clark

The Department does not make forecasts of trends in unemployment. However changes in long-term unemployment tend to lag behind changes in total unemployment and it is therefore likely that long-term unemployment may continue to increase for some time after total unemployment stabilises.