§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women have opted for the reduced national insurance liability in each year since 1965.
§ Mr. ArbuthnotReliable figures prior to 1978 are not available. The married woman's option was abolished from April 1977 but women who had the right to pay reduced-rate contributions at this time were allowed to continue to do so provided that certain conditions were satisfied. The numbers of women who paid reduced national insurance contributions in each year since 1978 are as follows:
604W
Year Number (thousands) 1978–79 1,917 1979–80 1,875 1980–81 1,754 1981–82 1,544 1982–83 1,371 1983–84 1,237 1984–85 1,139 1985–86 1,075 1986–87 1,031
Year Number (thousands) 1987–88 1,013 1988–89 1,016 1989–90 1,016 1990–91 992 1991–92 915 1992–93 845 1993–94 *763 * Figures for 1993–94 may not yet be complete.