§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 8 April 1998, Official Report, column243, if he will estimate the number of employees in respect of whom employers will pay higher NICs as a result of the measures announced in his recent Budget. [39242]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 20 April 1998]From April 1999, employers will no longer pay NICs in respect of up to one million employees earning between £64 and £81 a week. Employers will also pay lower NICs in respect of approximately twelve million employees earning between £81 and £450 a week (broadly, male average earnings). Employer NICs will increase in respect of approximately seven million employees. The majority of these employees will be earning more than average male earnings.