§ Mr. Yeoasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proportion of gross domestic product represented by employers's national insurance contributions in 1985–86 or for the latest year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure in 1978–79.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe proportion of gross domestic product represented by employers' national insurance contributions fell from 4.6 per cent. to 3.7 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1984–85 (the latest year for which GDP figures are available). The figures include national insurance surcharge, (abolished during 1984–85) but exclude amounts recovered for statutory sick pay (introduced in 1983–84).