Written question asked by Lord Laird (Ulster Unionist Party), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Freud (Conservative) on Tuesday, 11 January 2011.

National Insurance

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 16 December (WA 220), what forecast they have made of the cost of creating a field on central information technology systems to record and enumerate whether a national insurance number has been allocated to someone restricted to self-employment; and what is their assessment of the value of collecting such data in responding to employers’ enquiries.

Answer: No forecast has been made as there is no DWP business requirement for such a change to be introduced. Employers need to establish an individual's right to undertake employment by checking immigration status rather than against DWP national insurance number data. Guidance for employers on how to comply with the controls on the employment of migrant workers is provided by the UK Border Agency. The guidance details the specific range of documents that are required to prove the right to work of all persons subject to immigration control. The guidance also clearly states that the provision of a national insurance number is not sufficient in isolation as proof of right to work.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 5491; 723 c433WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Immigration
Monday, 24 January 2011
Written questions
House of Lords; National Insurance
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Costs ICT National insurance Migrant workers Self-employed
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk