§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why it is not possible to raise the earnings limit for long-term unemployed to £10 per week.
§ Dr. BoysonTo raise the earnings disregard of £4 a week for supplementary benefit purposes to £10 a week for a long-term unemployed would have significant benefit and manpower costs. Successive Governments have taken the broad view that in a means-tested scheme of last resort the first call on additional resources should be to improve the scale rates which benefit everyone rather than to raise 421W the disregards which benefit only those people who already have other resources. Nevertheless, we continue to keep the level of the disregards under regular review.