§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many successful prosecutions have taken place of self-employed individuals found to be evading national insurance contribution payments; and what has been the value of the revenue recovered in each year since 1984–85(a) in each region and (b) nationally.
§ Mr. HagueThe administration of national insurance is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from A. Chant to Mr. Alan Milburn, dated 27 July 1993:
As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency I ant responsible for answering questions about relevant operational matters. I have been asked to reply to your question about how many self-employed individuals have been successfully prosecuted for the evasion of National Insurance contributions (NICs), and the value of the revenue recovered in each year since 1984–85.171WWhen arrears of self-employed (Class 2) contributions are discovered it is the aim of the Agency to obtain current compliance and payment of the arrears at the smallest cost to public funds. If necessary, the Agency will pursue unpaid Class 2 NICs by either civil or criminal prosecution. In my answer to your other separate question about the self-employed I have supplied, in annexes which will be tabled in the Library, details of the number of proceedings undertaken by the Agency and the amounts involved.We do not keep separate figures for the number of successful prosecutions nor for amounts of money collected in relation to these proceedings, because some cases are resolved before litigation has run its full course or alternatively the money may be collected by instalments. These cases are regarded as an effective part of the litigation process.I regret that I have been unable to give you the precise information that you requested in your question but I hope that my reply has proved helpful.