HC Deb 03 July 1961 vol 643 c1001
38. Mr. Houghton

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the present number of certificates of non-participation granted by the Registrar, and the number of employees covered by them.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Up to 30th June, 32,286 certificates of non-participation covering 4,340,826 employees had been issued by the Registrar.

Mr. Houghton

Is the number still rising? What estimate does the Minister now make of the total number who will be contracted out? Does he think it will be 5 million?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

There is a steady trickle of applications in respect of small schemes. I am not disposed to prophesy, but I think it will be a considerable time before the figure the hon. Gentleman mentions is likely to be reached.

Mr. H. Hynd

What effect will these figures, which are much higher than the Minister originally calculated, have on the finances of the scheme?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

As the other assumptions on which the finances of the scheme were calculated were of a cautious and prudent nature, the income of the scheme overall during the current year will be about £1 million less than anticipated at the time of the 1960 Bill.