§ Mr. IngramTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of the changes to statutory sick pay provision upon his departmental budget for the financial year 1994–95.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 17 January 1994]: The abolition of the 80 per cent. statutory sick pay reimbursement rate will be offset in the same way as for all employers, by a reduction in employers' national insurance contributions. Any additional costs will be absorbed within the Department's existing running costs baseline.