Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were registered with HM Revenue and Customs as self-employed in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013; and how many of them reported net income (i) of zero and (ii) below the threshold for National Insurance in each year.

Estimates of the numbers of individuals with self employment sources are published in HMRC's National Statistics table 3.10 which is available at the following internet address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-of-individuals-with-self-employment-sources-2010-to-2011

The numbers of individuals making zero profits and at other income levels is also shown in these tables.

Tables for 2009-10 and earlier years are available from the National Archives internet site at the following address:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121102223513/http:/hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu-by-year.htm

Overall, these show a long term trend of growth in the numbers of self-employed people.

The Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) for 2012-13 will be available later in the year.