§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will account for the increase in forecast of social security contributions for 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 between Table B8 of the Financial Statement and Budget report 1998 and Table B9 of the pre-Budget report. [59098]
§ Mr. Byers[holding answer 10 November 1998]: As paragraph B1 of the Report said, national insurance contributions have been especially buoyant in the first half of the year. Higher than expected outturns in the first half of 1998–99 are assumed to carry forward into future years. The forecasts of social security contributions as a per cent. of GDP are little changed since the Budget, reflecting upward revisions to the projections of money GDP (see table B5 of the Pre-Budget Report and table BI of the FSBR).
840W
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on the forecast social security contributions in Table B9 of the pre-Budget report if the employee and employer national insurance contribution starting points were uprated each year in line with inflation. [59099]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 10 November 1998]: The Pre-Budget Report projections for social security contributions assume that lower and upper earnings limits are uprated annually in line with inflation.