§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the backlog in posting national insurance contributions to the contributions records of the insured which arose as a result of the Civil Service strike to be cleared; how many of the cheques received in respect of contributions had to be referred to drawer because they were out of date; how many persons have, to the latest available date, been refused benefit because their contributions were not up to date; and of these, how many were self-employed persons who were refused sickness benefit and invalidity benefit, respectively.
§ Mrs. ChalkerOver 90 per cent. of the 1980-81 national insurance contribution records have now been posted to personal accounts. I expect posting to be complete by the end of March. Benefit is not being refused where contributions have not been posted; special300W arrangements are in operation to obtain the information required from the beneficiary I have no information about any cheques received in respect of contributions that have been referred to drawer; employers pay national insurance contributions direct to the Inland Revenue with income tax. I shall ask the Inland Revenue to write to the hon. Gentleman.