§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer on 1 March,Official Report, column 47, on the cost of reintroducing earnings upratings for retirement pensions and linked benefits, if, on the basis of the same assumptions as used in the answer, he will estimate the effect on national insurance contribution rates in the years from 1996–97 to 2005–06.
§ Miss WiddecombeAn estimate of the increase in the main class 1 joint employee-employer contributions for national insurance which could be required is in the table. The estimate excludes contributions payable to the national health service.
Percentage increase 1996–97 0.2 1997–98 0.4 1998–99 0.6 1999–00 0.8 2000–01 1.0 2001–02 1.2 2002–03 1.3 2003–04 1.5 2004–05 1.6 2005–06 1.8 Note: Derived from estimates underlying tables 13, 14 and 15 of the "National Insurance Fund Long Term Financial Estimates—Report of the Government Actuary on the Second Quinquennial review under Section 137 of the Social Security Act 1975", published in July 1990 (HoC 582).