§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average earnings for each year since 1979; and what percentage of that earnings was levied to pay national insurance.
§ Mr. MaudeAverage weekly earnings are measured in April each year by the Department of Employment's new earnings survey. The figures since 1979 are given in column(a). The figures in column (b) show the percentage of all estimated income from employment and self employment paid in national insurance contributions. They should be regarded as indicating the trend in this percentage rather than as a meaningful measure of its level because the proportion of earned income which employees or self-employed persons may pay in national insurance contributions will vary according to individual circumstances.
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Year (a) £s (b)percentage1 1979 862 8.7 1980 106.3 8.8 1981 1198 9.3
Year (a) £s (b)percentage1 1982 132.1 9.9 1983 144.5 10.5 1984 155.8 10.6 1985 167.4 10.6 1986 181.2 10.5 1987 194.9 10.5 1988 213.6 10.6 1989 234.3 9.7 1990 258.0 n/a 1 Figures for 1988 and 1989 are calculated after netting off rebates of contributions and incentive payments made to personal pension schemes. The 1989 figure would otherwise have been 10.5.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of revenue was received from national insurance contributions(a) from employees and (b) employers for each of the years since 1979 at constant prices.
§ Mr. MaudeThe information in real terms using GDP deflator at market prices, is as follows (£ million in 1985 prices).
Year National Insurance contributions By employees By employers 1979 11,481 7,580 1980 11,450 7,734 1981 11,045 8,655 1982 10,877 9,892 1983 11,654 11,023 1984 11,912 11,416 1985 12,245 11,683 1986 13,082 11,909 1987 13,678 12,360 1988 14,470 12,932 1989 14,402 11,973