§ 28. Mr. Gurdenasked the Minister of Social Security if she will regularly notify employers on each occasion when a National Insurance card is over-stamped as she does in cases of under-stamping.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Social Security (Mr. Norman Pentland)Over-stamping by the employer may not be apparent at the time the card is handed in, and it would not be practicable to notify employers of all cases without disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. GurdenIs not this an unfair practice? As the cards have to be checked for under-stamping, they could equally be checked for over-stamping.
§ Mr. PentlandNo, Sir; there is no precise parallel between over-stamping and under-stamping, because under-stamping normally prejudices the employee's benefit rights. In fact, no case of a card bearing more than a full year's stamps has come to our notice.