Clause 6 - Recovery of contributions, etc: Northern Ireland
National Insurance Contributions and Statutory Payments Bill
11:15 am

Ms Dawn Primarolo (Paymaster General, HM Treasury; Bristol South, Labour)

Clause 6 is not a mirror for Northern Ireland of the preceding clause. Clauses 2 and 4 on Northern Ireland have enacted provisions in England and Wales. In this clause, everything that I have said about England and Wales applies, but it introduces distraint in Northern Ireland for the first time, which brings procedures in Northern Ireland in

line with those of England and Wales. I hope that I have dealt with the point that all the same issues will apply to Northern Ireland, but I did not want to mislead the Committee. There is a new principle in the clause for Northern Ireland, which is the introduction of a procedure for distraint, but I am sure that all hon. Members would accept that as reasonable. I commend the clause to the Committee.

Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford and Stortford, Conservative)

I do not intend to delay the Committee, save to say that I welcome the fact that the Paymaster General has flagged up that the change is significant. It is, nevertheless, a welcome change, not least from the point of view of UK-wide businesses, and for those reasons, we shall not oppose it.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.