§ Q6. Sir B. Rhys Williamsasked the Prime Minister whether he will seek to amalgamate the sections of the Inland Revenue Department responsible for Income Tax with those of the Department of Health and Social Security dealing with the administration of National Insurance and the payment of special supplements.
§ Mr. M. StewartI have been asked to reply.
No, Sir.
§ Sir B. Rhys WilliamsWhen National Insurance contributions are placed on an earnings-related basis, will not the jobs of these Departments be to handle basically similar aspects of the cash relationship betwen the individual and the State? Is there not room here for a business-efficiency operation on the grandest scale? Why keep two Departments doing the work of one?
§ Mr. StewartI recognise that the hon. Gentleman wants to make a constructive suggestion here and I think that the Government have shown their recognition of it in the conversations which there have been between the hon. Gentleman and my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury. I believe that the hon. Gentleman has overlooked certain serious administrative shortcomings in what he proposes.