HC Deb 26 February 1990 vol 168 cc62-3W
Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to curtail unannounced visits to farmers by Department of Social Security officials attempting to recover income taxes and national insurance payments; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Inspectors of the Department of Social Security have a duty to ensure that the Social Security Acts and regulations are being complied with. To achieve this they make visits to employers and self-employed persons. Many of these visits are pre-arranged by telephone and/or letter but some are unannounced. If such a visit is inconvenient arrangements can be made for an alternative meeting. There are no proposals to change or curtail such visiting arrangements.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals to establish a register of gangmasters to provide a point of approach for Department of Social Security officials when serving income tax and national insurance demands; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

There are no plans to establish such a register of gangmasters. Demands to gangmasters for arrears of their own or their employees' national insurance contributions are normally issued by post to the gangmaster's place of business or home address as appropriate.