Oral Answers to Questions

Tony Baldry Excerpts

Monday 1st July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Steve Webb]

The issue for HMRC is that the records that the hon. Lady is talking about—those of people who left school at 14 and 15 in the 1940s and 1950s—are on pieces of cardboard in a cupboard somewhere. That information could only be gathered at disproportionate cost.

[Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con)]

Does not this question demonstrate the fact that the concept of national insurance has always been a bit of a con in that it is not, and never has been, an insurance scheme? Essentially, those who are in work at any time are paying, out of their taxed income, for the pensions of pensioners of that time, on the understanding that when they reach pensionable age those in work will pay their pensions. Ever since it was introduced, the phrase, “national insurance”, has been misleading.

[Mr Speaker]

I am sure the reply will be shorter than the treatise.