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National Minimum Wage

Mr. Michael J. Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees resident in (a) Worcester and (b) mid Worcestershire have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. [133764]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

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Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Foster, dated 28 July 2000:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the number of employees resident in Worcester and Mid Worcester who have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage (133764)

Definitive estimates on the number of people that have been affected by the national minimum wage are not yet available. Currently available estimates for assessing the effect draw on data from both the New Earnings Survey and the Labour Force Survey, and recognise the particular value that each survey adds to the quality and analytical details that can be provided. However, the latest adjusted estimates are mainly based on data for the Spring (March-May) 1999 Labour Force Survey. Because the reference period spans the implementation date for the National Minimum Wage Act on 1 April 1999, these adjusted estimates are unlikely to accurately measure the effect of this Legislation since there are employees who could have been earning below the minimum wage rates in March 1999, before the law took effect.

The currently available estimates for March-May 1999 were published in an Office for National Statistics (ONS) First Release on 14 October 1999 and show that the number of people earning below the minimum wage rates set in April 1999 had fallen significantly between 1998 and 1999. A copy of this first release is available in the House of Commons Library.

Television Advertisements

Mr. Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many television advertisements his Department has commissioned since 1 May 1997; and, of these, how many have been provided with closed caption subtitling. [133436]

Dawn Primarolo: The Treasury has commissioned 16 commercials for one main campaign since 1 May 1997. Of the 16 commercials, eight of them were provided with closed caption subtitling.

The Inland Revenue has commissioned 62 commercials for four main campaigns since 1 May 1997. Of the 62 commercials, 51 of them were provided with closed caption subtitling.

Customs and Excise have commissioned no television advertising since 1 May 1997.

Tax Returns (Internet)

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 18 July 2000, Official Report, column 110W, on tax returns, what estimate he has made of (a) the fixed cost and (b) the marginal cost of providing self-assessment tax returns on the internet; and if he will make a statement. [133633]

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to give an answer to this question at this time.

Public Service Agreements

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the public service agreements for 2001 to 2004 will be published. [133949]

Mr. Andrew Smith: I am presenting a White Paper (Cm 4808) to Parliament today.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Gill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer question 131091, tabled by the hon. Member for Ludlow on 12 July. [133937]

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Mr. Timms: I did so on 20 July.

Tax Benefit Reference Manual

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the next edition of the Tax Benefit Reference Manual will be published. [133867]

Dawn Primarolo: Copies of the 2000-01 Edition of the Tax Benefit Reference Manual are today being deposited in the Library of the House.

Electronic Communications Act 2000

Mr. Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what orders he (a) has made and (b) intends to make using section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. [133382]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

ISAs

Mr. Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the consultancy used to analyse the success of ISAs has reported their results; and if he will publish their findings. [133385]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The research to inform Government policy making on ISAs is continuing.

Insurance Companies

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on how (a) his Department and (b) the FSA, propose that the orphan assets of demutualised insurance companies should be appointed as between shareholders and policyholders; [133409]

(2) what decisions (a) his Department and (b) the FSA have taken on the appointment of orphan assets between shareholders and policyholders, for each insurance company for which a regulatory determination has been made; [133408]

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to regulate the proposed distribution of orphan assets; and if he will make a statement. [133278]

Mr. Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what powers are available to decide the proportion of surplus assets held in the life fund of insurance companies to be distributed to (a) policyholders and (b) shareholders; what authority is available to use these assets to compensate for pension mis-selling; and if he will make a statement; [133233]

(2) what guidance is given to the Financial Services Authority regarding the split in surplus assets between policyholders and shareholders; and if he will make a statement; [133239]

(3) what authority is given to the Financial Services Authority to vary the proportional split in surplus assets between policyholders and shareholders; and if he will make a statement. [133238]

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Miss Melanie Johnson: I will write to the hon. Member and my hon. Friends and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Monetary Policy Committee

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answers of 25 July 2000, Official Report, columns 575-76W, and 17 July 2000, Official Report, column 99W, on the Monetary Policy Committee, what criteria he uses to judge whether his appointees to the Monetary Policy Committee have distinguished professional track records in fields relevant to monetary policy; and if he will make a statement. [133634]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to his earlier questions on this subject on 17 July 2000, Official Report, column 99W, and 25 July 2000, Official Report, column 576W. The second of these answers stated that

The criteria for the appointment of external members of the MPC are set out in section 13(4) of the Bank of England Act 1998.

The criteria set out in the Act are that appointees have

knowledge or experience which is likely to be relevant to the Committee's functions.

Student Loans

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated annual cost is to the revenue of collection of a student loan through the tax system; and what arrangements have been made to recoup this cost. [133624]

Dawn Primarolo: There is no annual cost to the Inland Revenue.

Omnibus Survey

Mr. Horam: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of all the questions asked in the current Omnibus survey being conducted by the Office of National Statistics. [133412]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. John Horam, dated 28 July 2000:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on Omnibus Survey (133412).

The Omnibus Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is a multi-purpose survey which runs eight times a year and is carried out on behalf of government departments, public bodies, charities and academics. The Omnibus interview is in two parts. The first part consists of a set of core classificatory questions about respondents that remains unchanged from survey to survey; the second, larger, part consists of a series of unrelated modules on varying topics that are included in the survey at the request of customers. The modules are generally different for each round of the survey, although some customers may ask us to include the same modules in several rounds or at regular intervals.

There are many questions on the current, July, Omnibus survey therefore rather than printing in Hansard I have arranged for copies to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

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