§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for extending long-term benefit to the unemployed of 55 years of age and over after one year of signing on.
§ Mr. OrmeThe Government will keep under review the conditions for entitlment to the long-term rate of supplementary benefit, together with other competing claims for resources.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much it would cost to put all the unemployed over 55 years of age on to long-term benefit after one year.
§ Mr. OrmeTo make unemployed people aged over 55 eligible for the longterm rate of supplementary benefit after one year would cost about £8 million a year at current rates of benefit.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed over the age of 55 are on short-term benefit.
§ Mr. OrmeOf those persons aged 55 and over registered as unemployed in May 1976, the latest date for which figures are available, 87,000 were in receipt of unemployment benefit only, 13,000 were in receipt of unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit, and 46,000 were in receipt of supplementary benefit only.