§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many married women actively revoked their decision to pay the reduced rate of National Insurance contributions in each year from 1977 to the present; [120999]
585W(2) what decision he has reached about undertaking a further information campaign to advise married women paying the reduced rate of National Insurance contributions about their options; [120998]
(3) if he will estimate, for the latest year for which data are available, the number of married women currently paying the reduced rate of National Insurance contributions who would pay less in National Insurance contributions if they were to pay the full rate of National Insurance contributions; and if he will provide corresponding estimates for 1990; [121199]
(4) if he will place in the Library a copy of the current version of Form CF383 relating to the certificate of election for married women to pay reduced rate National Insurance contributions, together with a copy of the corresponding form issued in 1978; [122122]
(5) if he will place in the Library a copy of the mailing which was sent in 1989 to all women still paying reduced rate National Insurance contributions alerting them to the impending reform to the structure of NICs; and if he will estimate the number of such letters which were issued. [123882]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 5 May 2000]: The number of women who actively revoked their election to pay the reduced rate of National Insurance contributions is not available. A series of the number of women paying at the reduced rate is available in Table 11 of "Contributions and Qualifying Years for Retirement Pension 1995/96-Volume 2", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. However, the year on year reductions in the numbers paying at the reduced rate will be due only in part to those actively revoking their election.
A copy of the 1989 mailshot has been placed in the Library. The mailshot was issued to around 300,000 married women. The coverage went wider than those whose election might have resulted in them paying more NICs at that time.
A copy of a 1978 CF383 and a current version of CF383 have been placed in the Library.
I can confirm that a further publicity exercise will be undertaken later this year. It will be aimed at all women who hold a valid election to pay National Insurance contributions at the reduced rate.