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VAT (Motorcycle Helmets)
Mr. Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend VAT exemption to motorcycle helmets. [154428]
Dawn Primarolo: Approved motorcycle helmets are already zero-rated.
Working Families Tax Credit
Mr. Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evaluation he has carried out of the impact of the Working Families Tax Credit. [154275]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to him on 18 December 2000, Official Report, column 846W.
Over 1.1 million families are currently claiming Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), nearly 300,000 more than Family Credit at its peak. These families are now receiving on average £30 a week more than under Family Credit, rising to £35 after the Budget 2001 measures have taken effect.
As a result of the introduction of the WFTC and other personal tax and benefit changes over this Parliament, by October 2001 a single-earner family on half average earnings and with two young children will be £3,000 a year better off than under the 1997 system of tax and benefits.
Minimum Wage
(Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East)
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) male and (b) female workers in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency receive the national minimum wage; and how many workers in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency will benefit from the forthcoming uprating of the national minimum wage. [154434]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell to Dr. Ashok Kumar, dated 19 March 2001:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of male workers and female workers in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency who receive the national minimum wage (NMW) and the number who will benefit from the uprating of the NMW (154434). I am replying in his absence.
- The Office for National Statistics has published estimates of the number of jobs paid at less than specific hourly pay thresholds for all workers in the United Kingdom for Spring 2000, disaggregated by gender. These estimates are based on an improved methodology
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- using data from the New Earnings Survey (NES) and Labour Force Survey (LFS). This methodology provides the best estimates for the number of jobs in the UK paid below low hourly rate thresholds. These estimates are posted on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/nsbase/themes/labour market/ nmw lowpay tables.asp.
- The new methodology has been developed to overcome the deficiencies inherent in the two surveys, the NES and LFS, in measuring low pay. Estimates based on this methodology are not available for the area requested.
Overseas Earnings
Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the UK's overseas earnings from direct and equity was generated from (a) the United States of America and (b) the EU in the latest year for which figures are available. [153985]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Denzil Davies, dated 19 March 2001:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the percentage of the UK's overseas earnings from direct and equity that was generated from (a) the United States of America and (b) the EU in the latest year for which figures are available (153985). I am replying in his absence.
- Percentage of net earnings from direct investment overseas by UK companies are shown below for 1999 (the latest year for which figures are available), for the United States of America and the European Union.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| United States of America | 30.7 |
| European Union | 34.6 |
Separate estimates for income from UK holdings of foreign equity by country of issue are not available.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the introduction of joint claims for Jobseeker's Allowance. [154774]
Ms Jowell: Regulations have been approved by Parliament to introduce joint claims for Jobseeker's Allowance from 19 March 2001.
Under the new provisions, couples without dependent children wishing to claim Jobseeker's Allowance will have to make a joint claim from 19 March 2001. This will apply where one member or both members of the couple were born after 19 March 1976, covering couples where at least one member is aged 18 to 24 years when the requirement is introduced. Each member of the couple will be required to meet Jobseeker's Allowance conditions and will be required to be available for and actively seek work. They will both receive help to obtain work and will be directed to training programmes or New Deal assistance as appropriate.
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About 10,000 existing claimants and 27,000 new claims will be covered during the first year.
A key aim of joint claims for Jobseeker's Allowance is to help tackle the problem of workless households. Joint claims will ensure that both members of unemployed couples without dependants are directly involved in the labour market and do not become dependent on benefits from an early age when they are in a position to find and take work.
Publications
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the cost of the printing and production of (a) "From Strength to Strength" and (b) "Schools: Building on Success" was; how many copies of each were produced; and to whom they were distributed. [153277]
Mr. Wills [holding answer 12 March 2001]: (a) "From Strength to Strength: Re-building the community through voluntary action"
- Printing and production--£5,147
- Quantity--5,000 copies
- Distribution--Voluntary sector organisations; other Government Departments.
- Available to the public on request.
- Printing and production--£119,830
- Quantity--60,000 copies (main document)
500,000 copies (summary version)
- Distribution--The main document was sent to schools, chairs of governors and local education authorities. In addition it was distributed to a total of 243 other organisations. These include examination bodies; careers organisations; adult, further, higher education and teacher training institutions; national training organisations; curriculum/subject associations; governor and parent associations; independent and foundation school associations; religious/denominational bodies, trade unions; special education bodies; and others.
Programme Grants
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools are in receipt of funds in addition to standard spending assessment from (a) education action zones, (b) Excellence in Cities and (c) specialist school status, broken down by local education authority. [154160]
Ms Estelle Morris [holding answer 16 March 2001]: The number of schools in receipt of funds in addition to Standard Spending Assessment from Education Action Zones, Excellence in Cities, and Specialist School Status are shown in the table. Some individual schools benefit of course from inclusion in more than one category. From September 2001 the number of secondary schools benefiting under EiC will increase to some 1,000 schools as the programme is implemented in 10 new authorities and within 11 new Excellence Clusters.
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(20) Includes both small and large zones
(21) This is the total number of maintained secondary schools in the area. The benefit received from EiC will vary from school to school
Note:
The primary schools identified in the table under EiC primary pilot are those benefiting. Not all primary schools in pilot authorities are included in the programme.
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