To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that National Insurance Numbers are issued three months before a person's 16th birthday.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of people were not issued a National Insurance number in the three months before their 16th birthday in each of the last three years.

HMRC issues National Insurance Numbers to most young people just before their 16^th birthday.

In order for a child to be issued a National Insurance Number (NINo) automatically, the child must be part of a live Child Benefit claim when they are 15 years, 9 months old.

If a child has been part of a claim, but is not part of a claim when they are 15 years, 9 months old, HMRC can be contacted to request a NINo. This process takes approximately 15 working days.

If a child has never been part of a Child Benefit claim (or a claim for a childcare service administered by HMRC) HMRC will have no record of them. An online application can be made to the Department for Work and Pensions to obtain a NINo. HMRC does not collate information on the number of young people who cannot be included in the automatic process.