Orders of the Day — National Insurance Contributions Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 8:25 pm on 13 May 2002.

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Photo of Dawn Primarolo Dawn Primarolo Paymaster General (HM Treasury) 8:25, 13 May 2002

I am listening to the hon. Gentleman carefully and he is making some pertinent points. One of the problems, as business tries to persuade the Government that we should amalgamate national insurance with tax, is the loss of the contributory principle of the national insurance fund, which flags up benefit entitlement. That is precisely the point that the hon. Gentleman is saying is missing. The very thing that keeps the national insurance fund in its present form is the fact that it is contributory and flags benefits.