HC Deb 06 February 1979 vol 962 cc145-6W
Mr. Ronald Bell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the total contributions and of the employers' contribution to the national insurance basic pension is necessary for the financing of the benefits under the scheme; and what proportion is a contribution to general national taxation.

Mr. Orme

On the basis of the assumptions used in the Government Actuary's report on the Contribution Re-Rating Order 1978, Cmnd 7403, the estimated total employers' national insurance contribution income amounts to £9,205 million for 1979–80 including the national insurance surcharge amounting to £2,783 million. 70 per cent. of the total will be paid to the national insurance fund, National Health Service, redundancy fund and maternity pay fund and 30 per cent. represented by the national insurance surcharge will be paid to the Consolidated Fund and form part of general national taxation. No part of employees' contributions forms part of general taxation as the national insurance surcharge is not levied on their income.