§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the call cost for employers using the social security advice line for employers; what has been 547W the total cost of running this service in the last year; what are its objectives; and what plans he has to revise the call cost. [2279]
§ Mr. HealdOn 7 October the social security advice line for employers—SSALE—was incorporated into a new employers' helpline offering an expanded and improved service which also covers Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise.
All telephone calls to the employers' helpline are charged at local rate; there are no plans to change the call cost.
For the 1995–96 tax year SSALE was allocated a budget of £749,000. The objective of the helpline was to help employers and their representatives comply with national insurance legislation by providing an advisory service.