§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are employed by the Department of Health and Social Security in checking and keeping records of national insurance contributions.
§ Mr. Alec JonesRecords Division of the Department's Newcastle Central Office employs 4,700 people on maintaining national insurance records and supplying information from them to local offices. The records deal with contributions and benefit matters as an integrated process and a detailed breakdown is not available. At present the staff in Records Division is larger than usual because the revised recording system needed for the changes to be made in national insurance in April 1975 is being prepared for operation. The contributions work done in local offices includes a small element of checking which is not separately calculable.