§ Q29. Mrs. Shirley Williamsasked the Prime Minister whether she will consider the payment of benefit at the long-term supplementary benefit rate to those unemployed for over 12 months.
§ The Prime MinisterSince November 1981 the longterm scale rate has been payable to unemployed men aged 60 or over who have been unemployed for 12 months. We are aware of the arguments for extending the long-term scale rate to unemployed people more generally. Any extension of eligibility must however compete with other claims on the additional resources which would be needed, and we can give no commitment at present.