§ Mr. PageTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to inform working women of the consequences of paying the married women's rate of National Insurance. [16503]
§ Dawn PrimaroloI refer the hon. Member to Inland Revenue leaflet CA 13 "National Insurance contributions for women with reduced elections". The leaflet, which was updated in May 2001 and can also be found on the Inland Revenue website, explains what contributions married women pay and the implications for future contributory benefit entitlement resulting from keeping their reduced liability.
The Inland Revenue undertook a major publicity exercise in October 2000 writing to around 250,000 married women who had previously elected to pay reduced rate National Insurance contributions. The letter advised them to consider their elections following recent structural changes to National Insurance contributions. A dedicated helpline was set up to provide further information and assistance and some 63,000 telephone inquiries were received.
The September 2001 edition of the Employers Bulletin, which again can be found on the Inland Revenue's website, included an article about married women's reduced rate contributions recommending action that employers should take on a regular basis to remind their employees, who pay a reduced rate, what information they need to report which could affect their National Insurance liability.