§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail in the Official Report the manner in which married women currently at home caring for young children or elderly persons, who when last in work paid reduced national insurance contributions and do not plan to work in the next few years, can use their current period of home responsibility to qualify for home responsibility credit under the Social Security Pension Act 1975.
§ Mr. OrmeFor details of the categories covered by home responsibilities protection in draft regulations which were laid before the House on Friday 24th February, I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. 491W Friend the Member for East Kilbride (Dr. Miller) on the same date.—[Vol. 944, c. 836.] The new provisions will not apply to married women or widows who have retained their right to pay reduced rate national insurance contributions—reduced liability. If a married woman or widow who has retained the right to reduced liability wishes to be covered by the home responsibilities provisions from the beginning of the new pension scheme, she must choose full liability before 6th April 1978. A married woman can do this by completing form CF9, the back page of leaflet Nil, and a widow by completing form CF9A, the back page of leaflet NI51. The forms should be sent to the local social security office to reach there before 6th April 1978.
Further details of the home responsibility protection provisions are contained in leaflet NP27. These leaflets can be obtained from social security offices, which should be consulted without delay by any woman who is in doubt about her position.