§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women. [129490]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Pay and Personnel Agency (PPA) is the payroll provider for the Ministry of Defence.
It is not the current practice of the PPA to write annually to staff paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions.
We apply a number of checks to identify and act upon any changes of circumstances which affect the continuing payment of reduced rate National Insurance contributions. These systems were audited in March 1998 by Inland Revenue and DSS and they included a 100 per cent. check of all staff then paying reduced rates of contributions. No problems were identified with the systems in operation.