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National Insurance Numbers

Volume 456: debated on Tuesday 6 February 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers were issued to (a) non-British EU citizens and (b) non-EU citizens in each month since January 1997. (116603)

Information is not available prior to April 2002. The available information is in the following table.

National insurance number registrations in respect of non-UK nationals in the months shown

Month of registration

All

EU

Non-EU

6 to 30 April 2002

17,670

5,130

12,540

May 2002

19,220

5,080

14,140

June 2002

16,840

4,150

12,690

July 2002

27,410

6,780

20,630

August 2002

31,160

8,080

23,080

September 2002

35,870

9,020

26,860

October 2002

30,760

7,860

22,900

November 2002

32,500

8,830

23,670

December 2002

27,300

7,630

19,670

January 2003

37,640

10,050

27,590

February 2003

35,560

9,960

25,600

March 2003

31,380

8,510

22,880

1 to 5 April 2003

5,930

1,640

4,290

6 to 30 April 2003

22,260

6,100

16,160

May 2003

21,030

5,830

15,200

June 2003

26,360

7,070

19,290

July 2003

33,720

8,690

25,030

August 2003

26,100

7,150

18,950

September 2003

34,910

8,910

26,000

October 2003

29,390

7,960

21,430

November 2003

31,200

9,730

21,470

December 2003

26,720

8,300

18,430

January 2004

33,000

9,890

23,110

February 2004

32,060

9,370

22,690

March 2004

50,880

15,280

35,600

1 to 5 April 2004

3,120

970

2,150

6 to 30 April 2004

24,540

7,510

17,030

May 2004

29,570

8,650

20,920

June 2004

35,620

12,040

23,580

July 2004

34,970

13,380

21,590

August 2004

26,120

10,830

15,290

September 2004

33,330

14,740

18,600

October 2004

34,810

15,470

19,330

November 2004

41,540

19,330

22,210

December 2004

33,240

16,800

16,450

January 2005

29,050

13,490

15,560

February 2005

42,820

21,170

21,650

March 2005

66,560

35,010

31,550

1 to 5 April 2005

7,570

3,940

3,630

6 to 30 April 2005

37,260

19,540

17,710

May 2005

41,030

21,520

19,510

June 2005

64,150

34,360

29,800

July 2005

53,740

28,250

25,490

August 2005

51,570

28,320

23,250

September 2005

66,130

37,240

28,890

October 2005

52,740

29,590

23,150

November 2005

59,790

32,830

26,950

December 2005

46,350

26,960

19,390

January 2006

70,890

40,780

30,120

February 2006

48,190

28,370

19,830

March 2006

63,740

37,140

26,600

1 to 5 April 2006

6,810

3,740

3,070

Notes:

1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.

2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

3. April figures are shown as part months because the data cover financial years.

Source:

100 per cent sample at 17 June 2006 from the national insurance recording system (NIRS).

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers on the Departmental Central Index related to people (a) now deceased, (b) who live abroad and receive no benefits, (c) who live abroad and receive benefits and (d) aged under 16 years in each year since 1997. (116604)

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer I gave him on 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 891W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what strategies have been (a) developed and (b) implemented by his Department since June 2001 to ensure that national insurance numbers are issued, used and controlled consistently. (116605)

The Department is committed to ensuring that national insurance numbers (NINOs) are issued, used and controlled correctly. We will continue to develop and implement strategies and processes to enable us to achieve this commitment.

In April 2001, we introduced the Secure NINO allocation process which guards against identity fraud. This process ensures a consistent robust approach to NINO allocation for both benefit and employment-related applications for a NINO. It includes face-to-face interviews to build up a picture of an individual's circumstances. Document examination checks are applied to ensure the authenticity of any documentary evidence provided in support of the application; and there are corroborative checks with third parties to verify information supplied during the interview. Only when we are satisfied as to the individual's identity will a NINO be allocated.

From July 2006 a right to work pre-condition for all employment-related NINO applications was introduced. This prevents anyone who does not have the right to work from being allocated a NINO for employment purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases his Department discovered where (a) an individual was using more than one national insurance number and (b) a number was used by more than one individual in each year since 2001. (116606)

When a person applies for a national insurance number (NINO), full identity checks are carried out at a face-to-face interview. If there is any suspicion around the validity of the identity documents, they are referred to the National Identity Fraud Unit (NIFU).

If NIFU are advised of a NINO being used by another person, the account is flagged as having a NIFU interest. If there is any benefit activity on that account, action is taken immediately to investigate suspected fraud.

The available information is in the following tables.

Individuals found to be using more than one national insurance number

Number of cases

2001

586

2002

447

2003

303

2004

513

2005

497

2006

534

Cases of a national insurance number being used by more than one individual

Number of cases

2001

2,539

2002

2,418

2003

2,533

2004

1,896

2005

1,991

2006

1,984

Source:

Departmental Central Index frontline services