National Insurance Contributions Bill
11:45 am
Jeremy Browne (Shadow Minister, Home Affairs; Taunton, Liberal Democrat)
I understand the official hesitation about answering what is quite a political question, but the answer to the question is yes, is not it? However worthy the cause, that it is a contributory insurance scheme no longer applies—the same with the 1p running right through the system. It means that national insurance is no longer what it says on the tin. The rationale for merging it with income tax is all the greater after the changes that were used to fund the NHS and to honour the promise of not raising basic income tax made at a general election.