§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many and what percentage of the present total of unemployed persons do not qualify for national insurance related benefit because of insufficient contributions, or because they have been unemployed for over 312 days, respectively;
(2) if he will estimate the number and percentage of the present total of unemployed persons who are (a) partially and (b) totally dependent on supplementary benefit for their income.
§ Mr. MajorThe information is given in the table:
Number Percentage Total unemployed claimants (as at 8 May 1986) 3,079,341 (100) No unemployment benefit—insufficient contributions 800,454 (26) Unemployment benefit exhausted after 312 days 1,068,072 (35) Unemployment benefit with Supplementary Benefit 194,374 (6) Supplementary Benefit only1 1,683,911 (55) 1 Although no overall figure is available, a significant proportion of these claimants had other resources—for example some 22 per cent. had child benefit.