§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the internal guidance that is currently available to local DSS staff which enables them to determine whether a person should be regarded as employed or self-employed. [34572]
§ Mr. HealdThe administration of the Contributions Agency is a matter for Mrs. Faith Boardman, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. Ian McCartney, dated 19 July 1995:
As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, I have responsibility for answering questions about operational matters relating to the Agency and the National Insurance (NI) scheme. I have been asked to reply to your question about the publication of the internal guidance which enables staff to determine whether a person should be regarded as employed or self-employed.The Agency has decided against publishing its current internal guidance at this time because there appears to be little likelihood of sufficient demand for a sight of them to warrant the cost of formal publication. But under the Government's Code of Practice we will respond to any individual request for copies of our internal guidance; and we intend to keep the options under review in the light of demand.I hope this reply proves helpful. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.