§ Mr. Derek Pageasked the Minister of Social Security what steps she is taking to ensure that employers do not evade their National Insurance liabilities by treating their employees as self-employed.
§ Mr. PentlandWhether a gainfully occupied person comes into the employed or the self-employed class for National Insurance depends on the actual conditions of employment. It is not a matter which can be settled between employer and employee irrespective of those conditions. Failure to stamp the contribution card correctly can lead to loss of benefit and may also, when brought to light, 159W involve an employer in having to meet the entire cost of contributions due for past periods, with no right to recover the employee's share from his wages. My Department will continue to take appropriate action in cases where employers are found not to have paid contributions correctly.