§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the reduction in national insurance contributions resulting from the raising of the starting point for employees' contributions in April 1999; how much of this sum will accrue to the benefit of employees with earnings above the upper earnings limit; and what increase in the upper earnings limit would be required to neutralise the effect on the income of the National Insurance Fund. [55681]
§ Mr. TimmsIn his Budget statement on 17 March 1998,Official Report, columns 1097–112, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the most radical changes to National Insurance contributions in over 20 years. He made it clear that some of these changes will be introduced from April 1999, but that raising the starting point for employees' contributions to the level of the single person's tax allowance would take place at a later date.