asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he intends to arrange for wage and salary earners in receipt of less than £1,500 per annum to qualify for compulsory insurance under the Social Welfare Acts.

The remuneration limit for compulsory insurance under the Social Welfare Acts does not apply to manual workers. It applies only to workers employed mainly in a non-manual capacity. The present limit, £1,200 a year, has applied since September, 1965.

The matter is being re-examined in the light of the general increases in remuneration since then.