§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of leaflets produced by his Department in the late 1980s which offered guidance to married women on whether to revoke their election to pay a reduced rate of national insurance contributions. [120096]
§ Dawn PrimaroloI have been asked to reply.
The following leaflets have been placed in the Library:
NI1 "National Insurance Choices for Married Women" August 1989.NP.32B "Retirement benefits for married women" revised July 1986.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to compensate married women who received inaccurate advice from his Department about whether to revoke their decision to pay a reduced rate of national insurance contributions following the reform of national insurance contributions in 1989, and who as a result are receiving a lower rate of retirement pension. [120095]
§ Dawn PrimaroloIn 1989, the Department of Social Security ran a publicity campaign to inform lower-paid women that they could be paying more in reduced-rate National Insurance contributions than if they paid at the standard rate because of structural changes to National Insurance contributions introduced in October that year. They were also reminded that they could revoke their elections to pay the married women's reduced rate if they wish to do so.