§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what saving for the national insurance fund has been achieved by transferring out expenditure on industrial injury benefit, maternity pay and statutory sick pay;
(2) which benefits have been transferred since 1979 to the Consolidated Fund from the national insurance fund.
§ Mr. JackThe Social Security Act 1990 provided for expenditure on industrial injuries benefits to be met directly from the consolidated fund and for the national insurance fund to be reimbursed from the consolidated fund for the costs of statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay, these benefits being non-contributory. The relevant amounts for the 1991 tax year are estimated to be £574 million in respect of industrial injuries benefit, £956 million in respect of statutory sick pay and £332 million in respect of statutory maternity pay, making a total of £1.862 billion.
Since 1979 there have been no other transfers of benefit costs from the national insurance fund to the consolidated fund.