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Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if, for the purposes of calculating the specific comparability of the DTI and DETR (non local government) for the Welsh block for CSR, expenditure on nationalised industries was included in the calculation; if such decision represented a change in the practice applied in 1998-99; and what his assessment is of the impact of this decision on the Welsh block; [66187]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 11 January 1999, Official Report, columns 20-21, on departmental expenditure, what was the specific comparability determined by the
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- coverage of Welsh Office services for (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 1998-99 in each of (a) the DTI, (b) the DETR (non local government) and (c) the DFEE; [66185]
(3) what changes have been made in the method of calculating the comparability percentage relevant for calculating the Welsh block in each of (a) the DTI, (b) DETR (non local government) and (c) the DFEE for the year 1999-2000 as compared to the year 1998-99. [66186]
Mr. Milburn: The Government maintained the total allocations for the Welsh Office for 1997-98 and 1998-99 determined by the previous Government in the 1996 Public Expenditure Survey. The comparabilities applied within the 1996 Survey were the responsibility of the previous Government.
Pensions Review
Mr. Sawford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made on Phase 2 of the pensions review; and if he will make a statement. [66230]
Ms Hewitt: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Ms Lawrence) on 14 January, Official Report, columns 283-84.
2001 Census
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the 2001 census will include a question to enable the calculation of the number of people living outside Wales who speak Welsh. [66190]
Ms Hewitt: The Government's proposal for the 2001 Census, including the topics to be covered, will shortly be published in a White Paper.
Prostate Cancer
Mr. Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in each of the last 10 years; and what are the projected numbers of new cases estimated by his Department over the next five years. [65821]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 20 January 1999]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
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Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Vernon Coaker, dated 25 January 1999:
Mr. O'Hara:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate as the main or contributory cause of death took place in England and Wales in (a) 1997, (b) 1992, (c) 1987, (d) 1982 and (e) 1977 amongst those (i) of all ages, (ii) aged 60 to 74, (iii) aged 74 to 84 and (iv) aged over 85 years; what were the winter mortality rates for (1) the population as a whole, (2) people aged 60 to 74, (3) people aged 75 to 84 and (4) people aged 85 years and over; and what the percentage increase was in each group compared to non-winter deaths in 1997-98, 1992-93, 1987-88, 1982-83 and 1977-78. [66381]
Ms Hewitt:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on prostate cancer.
The number of new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed from 1971 to 1992 in England and Wales are given in "Cancer statistics--Registrations" (MB1 series). Estimates for 1993-1997 are given in "Estimates of newly diagnosed cases of cancer, England and Wales, 1993-1997" (Monitor MB1 98/2). Copies of these publications are available in the Library of the House. No official projections are available.
| Year | All ages | 60-74 | 75-84 | 85+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 594 | 139 | 232 | 155 |
| 1982 | 645 | 147 | 224 | 188 |
| 1987 | 551 | 117 | 205 | 151 |
| 1992 | 329 | 57 | 115 | 117 |
| 1997 | 357 | 51 | 127 | 127 |
(1) Data for 1997 are based on deaths that occurred during the year, deaths for all other years are based on those registered during the year
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(2) Rounded to the nearest 10
(3) Provisional
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Excess winter deaths are defined as the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average of the number of deaths during the preceding autumn (August to November) and the following summer (April to July).
Ms Rosie Winterton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of those who will benefit from the national minimum wage are resident in Doncaster, Central. [66566]
Ms Hewitt:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Tim Holt to Ms Rosie Winterton, dated 25 January 1999:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the National Minimum Wage (NMW).
Available information is taken from the New Earnings Survey (NES). As the NES does not collect information on employees' home addresses I have provided information for those who work, not live, in Doncaster Central.
The NMW will become effective in April 1999 and has been set at £3.60 for workers aged over 21. A development rate of £3.00 per hour will apply for those aged 18 to 21. Workers aged 16 and 17 and all those apprenticeships will be exempt.
The Low Pay Commission, in arriving at their recommendations, had to adjust 1999 pay rates to 1998 values. Their methodology produces £3.50 and £2.90 as the 1998 values of the government's preferred rates.
The latest available information, from the 1998 NES, shows that of those over 21 years of age who are affected by the NMW in the UK, 0.3 per cent. work in the parliamentary constituency of Doncaster Central. The information is given as a percentage of workers because appropriate grossing factors for the NES sample are not available at very detailed levels of disaggregation. I am unable to provide data for employees aged 18 to 21 years because the sample size is too small for a reliable estimate to be produced. I will arrange for a copy of this letter to be placed in the Library.
Al Shifa Factory, Khartoum
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the importance of anti-parasitic products produced at the Al Shifa plant in maintaining animal health in Sudan. [67645]
Clare Short:
Our assistance to Sudan is concentrated on the most pressing humanitarian needs and we are not involved in animal health programmes.
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Because of the civil war, any drugs produced by the Al Shifa plant in Khartoum would not have been available in the rebel held south, where most of the suffering occurs.
The main threat to animal health in Sudan is rinderpest. The 1998 UN Consolidated Appeal states that
The long running civil war is the prime cause of suffering in Sudan. We will continue to press both sides of the conflict to undertake serious negotiations towards a lasting and just peace.
"the conflict has completely destroyed the pre-war annual Pan-African Rinderpest Campaign vaccination coverage and animal health services".
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