§ 21. Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the cost to the agricultural industry of the recently announced increases in National Insurance contributions for 1st November, 1969, to 1st April, 1970, and in a full year subsequently.
§ Mr. John MackieThe cost to the agricultural industry, taken as the cost to employers on behalf of their workers, is estimated at about £600,000 in the months November, 1969, to March, 1970, and about £1,500,000 in a full year.
In the same periods equal amounts will be contributed by workers themselves. For self-employed persons on their own behalf the figures for the relevant periods are £800,000 and £2 million.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsCan the hon. Gentleman assure the House that these increases will be taken into account in the price review? Does he realise that this is another additional burden which the farming industry must carry for at least five-and-a-half to six months without recompense until the price review comes? In the present circumstances this is absolutely intolerable.
§ Mr. MackieAs the hon. Gentleman knows, price reviews while his party were in power were always made on the basis of back prices. We are not doing anything different. Agriculture is not bearing any greater burden than any other industry.