§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is prepared to examine the possibility of extending the earnings-related benefit scheme to the self-employed on a contributory basis, the level of benefit to be determined by the amount of income tax paid in the appropriate year.
§ Mr. OrmeI would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke) on 4th August 1976—[Vol. 916, c.852–3]—which indicated that further work on this subject had to be abandoned because of the extra staff which would have been required to collect earnings-related contributions from the self-employed.