Self-employed Persons and Contracted-out Employees

HC Deb 08 May 1978 vol 949 cc364-5W

Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Weetch), Official Report, 1st December 1977, if he will list the benefits not available to the self-employed for which employees contracted out of the pension scheme can qualify.

Mr. Orme

An earner in contracted-out employment can qualify for the following State scheme benefits which are not available to the self-employedUnemployment benefit Industrial Injury benefit Earnings-related supplement (payable with various short-term benefits) Additional component of invalidity pension Additional component of widow's pension or widowed mother's allowance in so far as it exceeds the widow's guaranteed minimum pension(s) payable by the contracted-out schemes(s) Additional component of retirement pension insofar as it exceeds the guaranteed minimum pension(s) payable by the contracted-out scheme(s).