§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of self-employed persons claimed sickness benefit in 1974; and what percentage of employed persons claimed the benefit, at the latest date for which figures are available.
393W
§ Mr. O'Malley:Information is not available in the precise form requested, but the following table compares days of sickness benefit and invalidity benefit, in proportion to the numbers of employed and self-employed persons at risk, in the statistical year 1972–73.
DAYS OF BENEFIT IN THE PERIOD 51TH JUNE 1972 TO 2ND JUNE 1973 EXPRESSED AS A RATE PER 100 PERSONS AT RISK Sickness Benefit Invalidity Benefit Males Class 1 842 746 Class 2 455 597 Females Class 1 742 591 Class 2 423 626 Males and Females Class 1 818 709 Class 2 453 599 Class 1—Employed Persons. Class 2—Self-employed Persons.
§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of sickness benefits to self-employed persons and employed persons in the years 1970 to 1974; and, for each category, how much this represents per person per year.
§ Mr. O'Malley:Class 1 contributions give entitlement to flat-rate benefit and earnings-related supplement while Class 2 contributions only give entitlement to flat-rate benefits. The estimated amounts of benefits on this basis are as follows:
Cost of benefits*(£ m.) year Employed persons† Self-employed persons 1969–70 … … 366 17 1970–71 … … 357 17 1971–72 … … 393 21 1972–73 … … 463 24 1973–74 … … 521 27
Average amount per person at risk year Employed persons† Self-employed persons 1969–70 … … 20.10 11.50 1970–71 … … 19.90 11.30 1971–72 … … 22.10 13.60 1972–73 … … 26.20 15.30 1973–74 … … 29.50 17.40 * Including invalidity benefit from 23rd September 1971. † Including earnings-related supplement.