HC Deb 08 May 1973 vol 856 cc187-8
15. Mr. Dixon

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider legislation to place a statutory liability on employers to ensure that an employee, when applying for casual work, either produces his insurance card or produces a receipt from his employer confirming that that employer has the insurance card in his possession.

Mr. Dean

There is already a statutory requirement on every employer to obtain a card from an employee for whom he is liable to pay contributions. It would not be appropriate to extend this so as to impose a similar obligation on employers who are not required to pay contributions.

Mr. Dixon

Would not my hon. Friend agree that some such measure would go a long way to removing the abuses which are being practised by thousands of "spivs" and fiddlers who obtain money from the Supplementary Benefits Commission and at the same time work on the side—and who are now apparently to be given cheap butter too?

Mr. Dean

The arrangements about insurance cards should ensure that those who should be paying do so along with their employers. As my hon. Friend knows, I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to take a particular interest in the methods by which we detect abuse. If he has any particular information which he thinks will be helpful, I will be happy to have it from him.