§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what the total cost to the Exchequer would be of granting exemption to full-time students on courses at universities, technical colleges and teacher-training establishments from the obligation to refund National Insurance contributions over the first six years of their full-time employment.
§ Mr. PentlandStudents are under no obligation to pay National Insurance contributions in respect of periods of full-time study, but if the hon. Member has it in mind that the Exchequer should pay Class 3 (non-employed) contributions in respect of the categories of students mentioned the present cost would be of the order of £15 million a year.
§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what the cost to the Exchequer would be of extending the range of National Insurance cover of students on full-time courses at universities, technical colleges and teacher-training establishments to include sickness and maternity allowance, injury benefit, disablement benefit and industrial death benefit, listing the cost of each item separately.
§ Mr. PentlandStudents fall into the category of non-employed persons and to provide them with cover for the benefits mentioned would involve a fundamental 61W change in the National Insurance scheme. But on the basis that the Exchequer had to pay the full cost of a Class 1 (employed person's) stamp for the categories of students mentioned the present cost would be of the order of £30 million a year. The resulting cost to the National Insurance Funds of providing the benefits mentioned cannot be estimated.