§ 3. Mr. McKayasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what were the total payments made by all the insured contributors to National Insurance, Industrial Injuries Act, and to the National Health Service for the year 1958–59; what was paid by the employers in the private sector and public sector of industry, respectively; what tax relief the employees as a whole received; what tax relief was received by the employers in the private sector, and the public sector, respectively; and what percentage of the contributions was recovered as tax relief in each case.
§ The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)The answer to the first part of the Question is approximately £460 million. Contributions paid by employers in the public and private sectors of industry during 1958–59 are estimated as £120 million and £281 million, respectively, sums which I understand would have yielded tax of under £500,000 in the first case, and £143 million in the second, representing less than ½ per cent. and 51 per cent. of the contributions paid. The total tax relief for employed contributors was approximately £40 million, representing about 1.0 per cent. of contributions paid by them.