HC Deb 11 March 1985 vol 75 cc74-5W
Mr. Meadowcroft

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of young people on youth training schemes receive (a) class one national insurance credit, (b) class two national insurance credit, (c) class three national insurance credit and (d) no national insurance credit, respectively.

Mr. Whitney

Those on youth training schemes (YTS) are not separately identifiable within the statistics on credits, since participation in YTS is not a requirement for the award of credits.

Mr. Meadowcroft

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what conditions young people on youth training schemes receive (a) class one national insurance credit, (b) class two national insurance credit, (c) class three national insurance credit and (d) no national insurance credit, respectively.

Mr. Whitney

Those on youth training schemes receive credits through the arrangements applicable to young people generally, which are as follows:

  1. 1. Class 1 credits are available for any tax year up to and including that in which a young person reaches age 17 (or for someone not insured under the National Insurance Act 1965, a later year) and continue to the end of the first year in which class 1 or 2 contributions are first paid or treated as paid. If a claim to benefit is made by a young person who is undergoing a course of full-time education, approved training or apprenticeship that started before he or she was aged 21 and has ended, class 1 credits are made available for the relevant tax year;
  2. 2. Class 2 credits have not been awarded since 1975;
  3. 3. Class 3 credits are available for the tax year in which a young person becomes 16, and for the following two tax years.

If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he would write to me with the details.