HC Deb 18 March 2003 vol 401 cc678-9W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of(a) working age adults and (b) adults in work whose National Insurance contributions were (i) incomplete and (ii) incorrectly recorded in each of the last 10 years. [102607]

Dawn Primarolo

We estimate there are around 43 million NI accounts relating to people of working age. Information about the number of adults in work whose NI contributions were incomplete or incorrectly recorded in each of the last 10 years is not held.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the accuracy of records of National Insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement; [102609]

(2) what safeguards are in place to ensure that gaps recorded within individual National Insurance contribution records do not arise from (a) error and (b) fraud. [102606]

Dawn Primarolo

The accuracy of National Insurance records depends primarily on information that has been received and processed from employers, Pensions Providers, other Government Departments and individual contributors. The Inland Revenue has a number of systems and operational processes in place to continually validate and review the accuracy of each National Insurance record. The Government's plans to encourage more employers to submit payroll data electronically should also help to improve the accuracy of National Insurance records. In addition to the routine validation checks, the Inland Revenue visit employers to check the accuracy of their records, guard against fraud and to provide support to help them get things right.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what documents were signed by married women remaining on the married women's stamp in 1977 to 1979; how many such documents were issued; and if he will place a copy of the documents in the Library. [103709]

Dawn Primarolo

Married women who wanted to continue to pay the Married Women's Reduced rate of National Insurance did not have to sign any documents. However, women who wanted to pay the full rate of National Insurance contributions had to complete the declaration (Form CF9) in the back of leaflet N1. A copy of this leaflet is held in the House Library.