HC Deb 27 July 1988 vol 138 cc361-2W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing the latest estimated income of the national insurance fund from national insurance contributions in the current financial year, the income which would accrue if the upper earnings limit on all contributions was removed and the income which would be lost in each case if (a) the contributions rate for single persons was reduced to 5.5 per cent., (b) the rate for married persons was dropped to 4 per cent., (c) £3,000 were deducted from earned income for contribution purposes, rising to £6,000 for a contributor with a non-earning spouse and (d) if the reductions in (a) to (c) were in operation at the same time;

(2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for those below and those above pensionable age the estimated number of earned incomes subject to employers' national insurance contributions in steps of £1,000 between £15,000 and £25,000 and in £5,000 steps thereafter, showing single persons and one-earner and two-earner married couples together with the amount collected;

(3) whether he will bring up to date for the current financial year the information given in his answer of 10 December 1986, Official Report, column 204, to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby concerning the distribution of incomes and national insurance contributions, adding (a) the saving on the abolition of the reduced rate contribution and (b) the numbers contracted-in and contracted-out together with their contributions;

(4) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for those contracted in and for those contracted out, the national insurance contributions rates, including the class 2 and class 4 contributions and the reduced rate, in 1988–89, together with (a) the total number in each category, their sex and their marital status and (b) the aggregate contributions in each category and the earnings to which they relate;

(5) what is the current reduced rate of national insurance contributions for (a) married women and (b) widows; how many are still paying contributions at this rate; what is his forecast for 1990–91; how many would otherwise be paying at the rate of 5 per cent, and 7 per cent.; and what is the estimated cost to the national insurance fund in the current financial year in each case;

(6) what has been the increase in the number and annual value of national insurance contributions since 1986 as a result of the reduction in unemployment; and what is the division between full-time and part-time employment;

(7) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of nationally insured male and female workers in manufacturing and non-manufacturing, respectively, together with his estimate of average earnings in each case in 1987–88 and his forecast for 1988–89.

Mr. Scott

I will write to the hon. Member.