HC Deb 13 May 1996 vol 277 cc367-8W
Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been paid by employers of(a) under 100 employees, (b) under 50 employees and (c) under 10 employees, since the withdrawal of reimbursement of statutory maternity pay. [28750]

Mr. Heald

The information is not available in the format requested.

Small businesses which pay annual national insurance contributions of £20,000 or less are still able to obtain full reimbursement of their statutory maternity pay costs. For employers paying more than £20,000, the reimbursement rate was reduced to 92 per cent. from 4 September 1994 to meet the cost of improving maternity pay for employees as a result of the Government's implementation of the EC pregnant workers directive. The first full year following the change has just ended and any information about employers's payments will not be available until end-of-year-returns have been submitted and assessed.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend the small employers' relief scheme for statutory maternity pay. [28751]

Mr. Heald

None.