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Population (Newcastle upon Tyne)
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of residents of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne (a) in total and (b) in the age range (i) 0 to 4, (ii) 4 to 14 and (iii) 14 to 24 years in each year since 1990; and if he will estimate the numbers in each age range for (1) 2000, (2) 2001, (3) 2002 and (4) 2006. [112307]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
| Persons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All ages | 0-4 | 5-14 | 15-24 | |
| Population estimates: | ||||
| mid-1990 | 279.0 | 17.8 | 31.1 | 49.0 |
| mid-1991 | 278.2 | 17.7 | 31.5 | 47.3 |
| mid-1992 | 281.7 | 18.1 | 32.8 | 46.1 |
| mid-1993 | 285.3 | 18.3 | 33.9 | 45.0 |
| mid-1994 | 283.6 | 18.2 | 34.1 | 45.9 |
| mid-1995 | 283.1 | 18.0 | 34.5 | 46.7 |
| mid-1996 | 282.3 | 17.3 | 35.0 | 47.3 |
| mid-1997 | 279.5 | 16.7 | 35.1 | 47.6 |
| mid-1998 | 276.1 | 16.1 | 35.0 | 47.4 |
| 1996-based population projections: | ||||
| 1999 | 282.2 | 16.3 | 34.6 | 50.2 |
| 2000 | 282.8 | 16.0 | 34.3 | 50.3 |
| 2001 | 282.1 | 16.1 | 33.6 | 50.6 |
| 2002 | 282.0 | 16.0 | 33.1 | 51.2 |
| 2006 | 281.5 | 15.9 | 31.3 | 52.6 |
Source:
ONS, Population Estimates Unit and Population Projections Unit
Household Incomes
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of Clwyd, 16 February 2000, Official Report, columns 610-12W, on household incomes, if he will list the factors underlying the increase in household income in the north between 1997 to 1998 and 1998 to 1999; and if he will also estimate for the North East region the figures given for the years quoted in his answer. [112308]
Miss Melanie Johnson: 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 Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 28 February 2000:
28 Feb 2000 : Column: 155W
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on the increase in household income in the north.
The Answer to the honourable Member for the Vale of Clwyd, Official Report, columns 610-12W mentioned that, like all estimates from sample surveys, the figures were subject to sampling variability, and that care should be taken in interpreting short-term changes in the data. The apparent large increase in income in the North shown by the Family Expenditure Survey between 1997-98 and 1998-99 is almost certainly due mostly to random sampling variability. The estimated increase is £58 a week but this is subject to sampling variability of plus or minus £49 a week, this is the 90% confidence interval. There is only a one-in-ten chance that the true figure lies outside the estimated range. Published regional breakdowns from the FES are now based on three-year averages to reduce their sampling variability.
Figures for the Government Office Region of the North East are available only from 1994-95 and are shown below. The comments on sampling variability apply also to these estimates.
| North East | Gross weekly household income (£) |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 310 |
| 1995-96 | 340 |
| 1996-97 | 320 |
| 1997-98 | 340 |
| 1998-99 | 400 |
An alternative source, the Family Resources Survey, would normally be preferred for regional breakdowns because of its larger sample, more than three times that of the FES. It was not used for this question because it does not provide as long a run of data as the FES and because results are not yet available for 1998-99.
Consumer Debt
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of Clwyd of 16 February 2000, Official Report, column 612W, on consumer debt, if he will publish regional estimates of consumer debt. [112311]
Miss Melanie Johnson: 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 Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 28 February 2000:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on regional estimates of consumer debt.
The information requested is not available.
Customs
Mr. Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the correlation between the cost of extra custom officers and the extra duty paid to the Treasury on account of the consequent diminution in smuggling. [112054]
Dawn Primarolo:
A variety of factors influence the level of smuggling. There is no assessment which makes a direct correlation between the cost of extra Customs staff and changes in smuggling or variations in revenue collected.
28 Feb 2000 : Column: 156W
Mr. Grieve:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in respect of the re-sale to the producers by HM Customs and Excise of branded goods, seized as contraband, the average percentage of retail value achieved for each type of branded item. [112041]
Dawn Primarolo:
Suppliers of UK branded spirits have a contract with Customs and Excise to purchase spirits seized in bulk. The information requested is commercial in confidence.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the profit levels of high street banks. [112057]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
Don Cruickshank has been asked to review UK banking industry efficiency and competition; and his report is due shortly.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the maximum sum which can be awarded by the Banking Ombudsman in favour of the complainant; [111801]
(3) what percentage of complaints received by the Banking Ombudsman have been resolved in favour of complainants; [111799]
(4) what resources were made available to the Banking Ombudsman and the FSA for each of the last five years for (a) qualified staff, (b) administrative staff and (c) clerical staff, [111871]
(5) how long it has taken on average for the Banking Ombudsman to determine a complaint; [111798]
(6) what is the backlog of cases waiting to be dealt with by the Banking Ombudsman; [111797]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The available information is published in the Banking Ombudsman's annual report.
I am arranging for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Colman:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the volume of trade with the European Union by firms in London and the South East. [111957]
Dawn Primarolo:
Firms in London and the South East, along with others in the rest of the United Kingdom, benefit greatly from our participation in the Single Market. The European Union is Britain's foremost trading partner, accounting for more than half of both our exports and imports of goods by value.
Trade data for the UK regions are available only for the value of their total exports and imports of goods (there is no EU/non-EU split). These data indicate that last year London and the South East accounted for around 33 per cent. of UK exports and 45 per cent. of UK imports.
28 Feb 2000 : Column: 157W
Ms Drown:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans the Government have to support a multilateral deal on debt at this year's G8 summit in Okinawa; [111960]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The UK Government have never closed off any possibility regarding a further multilateral deal on debt. The Chancellor and the Secretary of State for International Development have both stated publicly that debt relief is not enough in itself and that more must be done to help the poorest countries meet even the basic International Development targets set for 2015. In the first instance, the UK Government want debt relief to lead to poverty reduction and improvements in basic living conditions for the poorest sectors in these countries.
(2) what has been the average settlement awarded by the Banking Ombudsman in favour of the complainant; [111800]
(2) what the Government's policy is on changing the level of the debt-to-export ratio within the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. [111959]
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