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Unemployment (Gloucestershire)
Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people aged 25 years or over have been unemployed for two years or more in (a) Northavon constituency and (b) South Gloucestershire unitary authority; and if he will make a statement; [7770]
- (2) how many people aged 18 to 24 years have been unemployed for more than six months in (a) Northavon constituency and (b) South Gloucestershire unitary authority. [7769]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 10 July 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange a reply to be given. Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 15 July 1997:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent questions (7769 and 7700) on unemployment in the Northavon parliamentary constituency and South Gloucestershire unitary authority.
The measure of unemployment, derived from the quarterly Labour Force Survey (LFS), is defined on a consistent and internationally recognised basis set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and counts as unemployed people who are: a) without a job; b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. However, largely because it is a sample survey, information is not available from the LFS in as much geographical detail as from the claimant count measure described below.
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ONS also publishes the monthly claimant count, which is based on the administrative system and includes all people claiming unemployment-related benefits (i.e. Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support or National Insurance credits) at Employment Service offices on the day of the monthly count, who on that day had signed on as unemployed and available to do any suitable work. Essentially, all people who attend an Employment Service office to sign are counted, irrespective of whether they are actually receiving benefit.
The data you have requested can only be derived from the claimant count, as the labour force survey does not give details on duration of unemployment below county level.
The figures in the attached table are for April 1997, the latest date for which figures are available.
| 18 to 24-year-olds(1) | 25-year-olds and over(2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Northavon PCA | 106 | 163 |
| South Gloucestershire UA | 272 | 554 |
(1) Unemployed for six months or more.
(2) Unemployed for two years or more.
Members' Interests
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have refused to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings with hon. Members to discuss matters relating to interests registered by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8117]
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Mrs. Liddell:
The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) made it clear that, when Members are meeting Ministers or others on topics in which they have an interest, the onus is on the Member to declare that interest not the Minister to know--para 63 of Cm 2850. It is not practicable for Ministers and officials, amongst their other duties, to vet requests for meetings against the Register of Members' Interests.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department refuse requests from hon. Members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8114]
Mrs. Liddell:
The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) recognised the value of enabling Members to retain interests outside the House, provided these were properly declared, both in the Register of Members' Interests and on other occasions. Subject to these requirements, and to the rules of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, Members are free to seek meetings with Ministers and officials, who will consider such requests alongside the many other approaches from individuals and organisations concerned to press their own interests or those of others.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence over the Ministry of Defence's mission statement. [8189]
Mr. Darling:
It has been the practice of successive governments not to discuss consultations between ministers on policy matters.
Mr. Forth:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for the review of the Bank of England's financial arrangements (a) the expected completion date and (b) the cost of conducting the review. [8242]
Mrs. Liddell:
The review is under way and will be completed as soon as possible. The Treasury's costs will be met from within running costs provision.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met commercial lobbyists to discuss matters relating to the business of his Department; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings; [8115]
Mrs. Liddell:
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in response to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 2 June, column 99,
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Ministers and officials in the Treasury and the Chancellor's other Departments receive deputations from many groups who are concerned to press their own interests or those of their clients, which Ministers and officials take due care to consider within the wider public interest and Government policy. As it is not practicable to distinguish particular groups as lobbyists, a register of such meetings is not kept.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in the Warrington, North constituency who are unemployed but not claiming benefit. [6662]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 10 July 1997]: 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 Tim Holt to Helen Jones, dated 15 July 1997:
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average life expectancy of a United Kingdom citizen on (a) 1 May 1979 and (b) 1 May 1997. [7677]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 10 July 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Crispin Blunt, dated 15 July 1997:
(3) Latest year for which data are available. Figures supplied by the Government Actuary's Department.
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(2) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have attended meetings with organisations representing (i) commercial and (ii) non-commercial interests organised by commercial lobbying firms; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings. [8116]
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on unemployment in the Warrington North parliamentary constituency.
The measure of unemployment, derived from the quarterly Labour Force Survey (LFS), is defined on a consistent and internationally recognised basis set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and counts as unemployed people who are: a) without a job; b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. However, largely because it is a sample survey, information is not available from the LFS in as much geographical detail as from the claimant count measure.
Information about those ILO unemployed who are not claiming unemployment related benefits is collected for the LFS. However, no such information is available below county level.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), to your recent parliamentary question on average life expectancy in the UK.
The expectation of life at birth in the United Kingdom, according to the mortality rates experienced in the year in question, are:
1979 (3)1995
Males 70.0 74.0
Females 76.2 79.3
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