asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many more civil servants are being employed to administer the new system for collecting and refunding national insurance contributions; and what is the annual cost of this additional staff.

It is estimated that in my Department about 750 staff are currently engaged on the work of introducing the new National Insurance Scheme and phasing out the old. This number will reduce from 1976 onwards and by 1980–81 there will be a net saving of some 1,600 staff. The annual cost of 750 staff is approximately £2 million.