§ Mr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide information covering each of the last five years showing the number of employees whose earnings fell below(a) the minimum for payment of national insurance contributions and (b) the PAYE threshold; and if he will estimate what proportion of these employees work part-time and what proportion are aged under 18 years and 18 to 21 years.
§ Mr. Lee[holding answer 17 November 1987]: The available information from the new earnings survey is not sufficiently precise to make reliable estimates separately distinguishing the numbers with earnings below these two thresholds. However, broad estimates of the numbers of employees with earnings below the PAYE threshold are as follows:
266W
April millions 1983 2½ 1984 2¾ 1985 3 1986 3 1987 3 The vast majority of these employees work part-time. Information is not available on which to make estimates of their ages.