HC Deb 17 July 1961 vol 644 c868
17. Mr. W. Hamilton

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will give details of the preparatory expenditure of £30,000 which he estimates as necessary in the event of imposing a surcharge on employers under Clause 30 of the Finance Bill.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

About £25,000 would be for publicity. Miscellaneous additional costs involved in new rates of stamps would account for the remainder.

Mr. Hamilton

Have any leaflets been printed in connection with this scheme? How much preparatory expenditure has been already incurred? Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us what proportion this expenditure is of the total cost of the scheme when it is in operation—as it probably will be very soon?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I made it perfectly clear at this Box last week that no such preparatory steps had been taken, and that, of course, covers the subject matter of this Question.