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Personal Debt
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the levels of personal debt in the United Kingdom in each year since 1992. [36272]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Details of personal sector financial liabilities (debt) are published in table 9.1J of "Financial Statistics". The information is also held on the Office for National Statistics database which has recently been updated to 1996Q1, and includes revisions to earlier years' data. These figures will be included in the July issue of "Financial Statistics", which will be published on 19 July. Both sources are available in the House of Commons Library. The revised figures for personal sector financial liabilities are as follows:
| End-year | £ billion |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 489.9 |
| 1993 | 505.4 |
| 1994 | 528.8 |
| 1995 | 552.6 |
Public Sector Assets
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of real assets held by the public sector by (a) land, (b) buildings and (c) other. [36578]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Estimates of real assets held by the public sector grouped by the asset types requested are unavailable. Estimates are available for public sector assets, but with a different grouping of assets, in table 12.12 of "United Kingdom National Accounts", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Abortion Statistics
Mr. Bendall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many abortions have been performed within the North Thames region under the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967; and how many and what percentage of those abortions were performed in an emergency to save the life of the mother. [37010]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The total number of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act to women usually resident in the North Thames health region 1 from 1970 to 1994 2 was 752,736. During this period 19 abortions--zero per cent. of the total number--were performed in an emergency, certified by the operating practitioner as immediately necessary to save the life of the woman 3 . Notes:
1 Figures are based, where possible, on 1994 health authority boundaries. Other boundary changes have not been reflected in the figures.
2 Figures for 1968-69 are not held on a comparable basis.
3 Abortions performed under statutory ground 5 (1970-31 March 1991) and F (1 April 1991-present) i.e. where in the case of emergency it was necessary to save the life of the woman.
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Mrs. Knight [holding answer 16 July 1996]: The total number of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act to women usually resident in the Northern and Yorkshire health region 1 from 1970 to 1994 2 was 336,549. During this period, 12 abortions--zero per cent. of the total number of abortions performed--were carried out in an emergency, certificated by the operating practitioner as immediately necessary to save the life of the woman 3 . Notes:
1 Figures are based, where possible, on 1994 health authority boundaries. Other boundary changes have not been reflected in the figures.
2 Figures for 1968-69 are not held on a comparable basis.
3 Abortions performed under statutory grounds 5 (1970--31 March 1991) and F (1 April 1991-present) i.e. where in the case of emergency it was necessary to save the life of the woman.
Mrs. Knight [holding answer 16 July 1996]: The figures presented give a breakdown of the number of abortions performed to women usually resident in the Northern and Yorkshire health region by gestation of pregnancy, for the year 1994 1 , the latest year for which figures are available.
| Gestation of pregnancy in weeks | Number of abortions |
|---|---|
| Under 9 | 5,220 |
| 9 to 12 | 9,103 |
| 13 to 19 | 1,735 |
| 20 and over | 201 |
| Not stated | 1 |
| Total | 16,260 |
(1) 1994 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB no. 21.
European Monetary Union
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact on UK tax rates of UK entry into European monetary union in 1999. [37176]
Mrs. Angela Knight: It is too early to assess the possible impact of joining a single currency on the UK. A full assessment of the costs and benefits will be carried out nearer the time, when the facts are known. Decisions on fiscal policy, including decisions on rates and levels of tax, must remain a matter for member states. These are at the heart of national politics.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the advantages of monetary union to each member of the EU. [37177]
Mrs. Knight: It is too early to assess the possible impact of joining the single currency on the UK. A full assessment of the costs and benefits will be carried out nearer the time, when the facts are known. No assessment has been made of other member states' positions.
17 Jul 1996 : Column: 526
Contracts
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a list showing the number, nature and value of contracts awarded by his Department to Coopers and Lybrand, KPMG, Price Waterhouse, Ernst and Young, Deloitte and Touche, Arthur Andersen, Grant Thornton, BDO Stoy Hayward, Pannel Kerr Forster, and Robson Rhodes and their subsidiaries and associates, during 1995 and 1996. [37315]
Mrs. Angela Knight: During 1995-96 one contract was awarded to KPMG for assistance in the review of pay, grading and appraisal, and one to Coopers and Lybrand in connection with the privatisation programme. No contracts were awarded to any of the other firms during 1995-96, nor have any contracts been awarded to any of the firms this year.
I am unable to provide values for the contracts as this information is commercially confidential.
Income Tax
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the highest rate of tax on income in (a) 1978-79, (b) 1983-84 and (c) 1995-96. [37577]
Mr. Jack: The highest rates of income tax were 83 per cent. on earned income and 98 per cent. on investment income in 1978-79, 60 per cent. on earned income and 75 per cent. on investment income in 1983-84 and 40 per cent. and earned and unearned income in 1995-96.
Trade Unions (Tax Exemptions)
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if tax exemptions were claimed by (a) the Joint Industry Board for Electrical Contracting Industry and (b) Scottish Joint Industry Board for Electrical Contracting Industry during the period when they were registered as trade unions. [37560]
Mr. Jack: The provision of the details sought would be in breach of the statutory restrictions on the disclosure of information concerning the affairs of taxpayers, companies and other concerns.
Earnings
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average hourly earnings of part-time male and female workers working less than 16 hours a week, giving the most recent available figures. [37590]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Figures from the labour force survey, winter 1995, show that in Great Britain average hourly earnings for part-time males working less than 16 hours per week were £5.73. Average hourly earnings for part-time females working less than 16 hours per week were £5.67.
Mr. Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 2 July, Official Report, column 418, what were the average hourly earnings of (a) men and (b) women with total earnings below the national insurance contribution lower earnings limit. [37587]
17 Jul 1996 : Column: 527
Mrs. Knight: Figures from the labour force survey, winter 1995, shows that in Great Britain the average hourly earnings for males earning less than the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions were £2.20. Average hourly earnings for females earning less than the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions were £3.29.
Unemployment (North-East)
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current unemployment rates in (a) South Tyneside borough council, (b) North Tyneside borough council, (c) Gateshead borough council and (d) Newcastle borough council. [37779]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Percentage rates of claimant unemployment are not available below the level of travel-to-work area except in the case of unitary authorities.
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