§ Mr. Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Gower from the Prime Minister, Official Report, 12 July, c. 768, whether Her Majesty's Government's policy remains the same as that stated in the Social Security Advisory Committee's annual report 1981, paragraph 3.8.
§ Dr. BoysonThe long-term scale rate has now been made available to unemployed men over 60 without any
34WUnited Kingdom in selected periods before and after seat belt wearing became compulsory on 31 January 1983. Each column covers a 22-week period.
qualifying period. Since 1981 the cost of extending the long-term scale rate to all unemployed people has nearly doubled — it is now £395 million. On these grounds alone it has to be ruled out. Further extension would in any event mean giving the long-term scale rate to people who were still in the labour market and might have wider economic repercussions, for instance on work incentives.