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Unemployed Claimant Count
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people, by region and gender, are
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designated as economically inactive but are not included in unemployed claimant count figures, within the age groups (a) 16 to 24, (b) 25 to 49 and (c) over 50. [1143]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mr. Ian McCartney, dated 4 November 1996:
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Note:
(14)Sample size too small for reliable estimate.
Source:
Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics.
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The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question asking for a breakdown by region, gender and age group of those people who are economically inactive, who would like a job but are not included in the unemployment claimant count figures. The Director has asked me to reply in his absence.
According to the spring 1996 Labour Force Survey there were 7,770,000 people of working age in the United Kingdom who were classified as economically inactive. Of these 2,335,000 said they would like a job, but were not classified as ILO unemployed either because they had not sought work in the past four weeks and/or they were not available to start work in the next two weeks. The main reasons given for not seeking work were that the respondent was long term sick/disabled, looking after their family/home or was a student. 2,164,000 of the total of 2,335,000 said that they were not claiming unemployment related benefits though this may be overestimated by up to 10 per cent as the LFS generally under-records people claiming unemployment-related benefits. Further details are contained in the article on page 464 of the October 1993 Employment Gazette a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. The UK total figure is disaggregated for the analysis in the attached table.
16-24 years old 25-49 years old 50 years and over All working age
Males Females Males Females Males (50-64) Females (50-59) Males Females All persons United Kingdom 236 306 283 845 292 203 810 1,354 2,164
Great Britain 232 296 279 824 288 198 798 1,318 2,117
England 199 247 228 686 232 163 659 1,095 1,754
South East 82 89 76 282 78 64 236 435 670
Greater London 38 40 53 141 38 30 128 211 340
Rest of South East 44 49 23 140 40 34 107 224 331
East Anglia (14)-- (14)-- (14)-- 27 (14)-- (14)-- 21 39 60
South West 20 24 20 54 21 15 61 93 154
West Midlands 20 29 23 82 30 17 73 127 201
East Midlands 17 19 20 51 16 15 53 84 137
Yorks and Humber 24 30 28 60 29 18 80 108 188
North West 18 26 39 77 30 19 87 122 208
North 13 22 15 54 19 11 47 87 134
Wales 12 20 17 52 23 13 52 85 137
Scotland 21 29 34 87 33 22 88 138 226
Northern Ireland (14)-- 10 (14)-- 21 (14)-- (14)-- 12 36 48
National Bus Company Pension Scheme
Mr. Hall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications of the pensions ombudsman's recent findings in respect of
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breaches of trust relating to payments made from the National Bus Company employers' superannuation scheme for similar payments to the Treasury from the pension schemes of Government assets prior to their privatisation. [1085]
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Mr. Waldegrave: I am not aware of any implications for other privatisations.
Interest Rates
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the savings to the Exchequer which would result from lower debt interest costs if United Kingdom interest rates were (a) 0.5 per cent., (b) 1.00 per cent. and (c) 1.5 per cent. lower across the yield curve for (1) 1997-98, (2) 1998-99, (3) 1999-2000, (4) 2000-01 and (5) 2001-02. [814]
Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 31 October 1996]: Estimated reductions in central Government net debt interest payments resulting from lower interest rates are presented in the table.
| 0.5 per cent. | 1.0 per cent. | 1.5 per cent. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 |
| 1998-99 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.3 |
| 1999-00 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 |
| 2000-01 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
Such estimates are dependent on the assumed path of Government borrowing. These figures are calculated using the Budget 1995 forecast for borrowing and assume the fall in interest rates in sustained throughout the forecast period.
Revised short-term projections for Government borrowing were produced in the "Summer Economic Forecast 1996". Estimates based on this forecast are not significantly different from those shown.
No borrowing forecasts have been published for 2001-02.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fastest annual average United Kingdom GDP growth rate in any consecutive period of nine years since 1966. [802]
Mrs. Angela Knight
[holding answer 31 October 1996]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 4 November 1996:
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Mr. Matthew Banks:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the cash limit and running costs limit for the Office for National Statistics for 1996-97. [2549]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 12--Office for National Statistics--will be increased by £7,561,000 from £105,039,000 to £112,600,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £7,100,000 from £99,839,000 to £106,939,000. This reflects:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question asking what has been the fastest annual average United Kingdom GDP growth rate in any consecutive nine year period since 1966. The director has asked me to respond in his absence.
The highest United Kingdom growth rate, for any nine year period since 1966, was 3.1 per cent. in the period up to and including 1990. United Kingdom GDP growth rates, for any nine year period since 1966, can be found in table 16.10 of the 1996 edition of United Kingdom National Accounts, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. I attach a photocopy of the table.
the take-up of £5,453,000 for running costs and £1,254,000 for capital costs under the end year flexibility arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 12 July 1996, Official Report, columns 326-31. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not add to the planned total of public expenditure;
increased running costs provision of £1,216,000 and capital cost provision of £74,000 for the processing and production of statistics relating to the general practitioners' research database; most of the increase will be met by the Department of Health from within its existing resources; the remainder will come from various other customers. The payments will be taken in as increased appropriations in aid;
increased capital costs of £2,565,000 for the refurbishment of Drummond gate, Pimlico. £600,000 will be funded from the Treasury's own end year flexibility entitlement, and the remaining costs will be met by the Metropolitan police and taken in as increased appropriations in aid;
increased running costs provision of £177,000 and capital costs of £123,000 for the national health service tracing services project, and further capital costs of £650,000 for the Department of Health's existing number replacement project. The increases will be met by the Department of Health from within its existing resources and taken in as increased appropriations in aid;
increases in running costs provision of £5,000 from the Security Facilities Agency for security advice, £67,000 from the Department of Health for legal services, £90,000 from the Department for Education and Employment for the labour market statistics and £92,000 from the Department of Transport for balance of payments work. All these will be met from existing resources.
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