§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost in 1983–84 of raising the lower earnings limit for national insurance for (a) employers and (b) employees to (i) £1,800 and (ii) £3,500; and what, in each case, would be the net cost if the scale of contribution were limited to 9 per cent. of earnings in excess of the lower limit.
§ Mr. RossiThe lower earnings limit for class 1 national insurance contributions is a weekly amount. If the lower earnings limit in 1983–84 was set at (i) £34.60 or (ii) £67.30—the approximate weekly equivalents of £1,800 and £3,500 per annum—instead of £32.50 contribution revenue in Great Britain would be reduced by the following amounts:
480W
Present basis of contributions Proposed basis‡ Lower earnings limit £34.60 £67.30 £34.60 £67.30 £ million £ million Reduction in revenue from: Employees contributions £2 £170 £2.4 £4.2 Employers contributions* † -£9 £40 £3.0 £5.0 * excluding surcharge. † reflects higher revenue from contracted out schemes. ‡ assumes contributions levied only on the amount of earnings which exceeds the specified lower limits up to the upper earnings limit of £235 a week at contribution rates of 9 per cent. for standard rate employees and 10.45 per cent. for employers. Note:
All figures on the same assumptions as those in Cmnd. 8742—report of the Government Actuary on the draft of the Social Security (Contributions, Re-rating) Order 1982.