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Quarantine Laws
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent assessment he has made of the result of the changes made in the quarantine laws; and what further changes he proposes. [154084]
Ms Quin: The Ministry is currently carrying out an evaluation of the Pet Travel Scheme, which will be published in due course. We are also committed to reviewing the possible inclusion of North America in the Pet Travel Scheme. We will consider further changes to the scheme when the result of this work is available.
Hill Farmers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will complete his review of hill farm incomes. [153498]
Ms Quin: Hill farm incomes are reviewed every autumn. The results of last year's review, entitled "Economic Conditions in the Hills and Uplands in the
20 Mar 2001 : Column: 196W
United Kingdom: Statistical Tables", were made available to the Libraries of the House on 29 November 2000. The Hills Task Force, set up in November 2000 to look at hill farmers' access to support under the ERDP and other measures, has been asked to report by the end of March 2001.
PRIME MINISTER
Renewable Energy
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress made to date by the G8 renewables task force. [154193]
The Prime Minister: The G8 Renewable Energy Task Force will present its final report to the G8 Heads of Government at the Genoa Summit in July 2001. The UK is pleased with the Task Force's progress to date, and particularly with the active involvement of so many high-level representatives from business, Government and non-government organisations. We will make a full statement of how the UK intends to carry forward the Task Force recommendations once the final report is available.
Pensioners (Annuities)
Mr. Brady: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer on 14 March 2001, Official Report, column 1011, if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of giving pensioners the freedom to choose to invest in products other than an annuity. [154324]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 19 March 2001]: Relaxing the existing requirement to purchase an annuity would provide an incentive for some to use pension schemes for purposes other than providing a secure income throughout retirement. Costs will vary depending on the nature of any reforms, including what level of income must first be secured and what tax charge is applied to withdrawals above that level. Proposals for tax-free withdrawals could cost billions of pounds a year in lost income tax and extra tax relief.
Strategic Communications Unit
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the work programme for the Strategic Communications Unit for the year 2000-01. [154335]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 23 June 2000, Official Report, column 328W.
CABINET
Absenteeism
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to her answer of 12 March 2001, Official Report, column 472W, for what reasons the Office for National Statistics no longer presents the data to which she refers broken down by public and private sector. [153951]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
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The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Philip Hammond, dated 20 March 2001:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on why Labour Force Survey data on absence from work due to illness and injury is no longer presented by public and private sector (153951). I am replying in his absence.
- Information about absence from work due to sickness and injury is collected in the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS also includes a question about the industrial sector that respondents work in, which is classified to public or private sector groupings.
- The LFS databases provide this information and can be accessed by the House of Commons Library. In addition, an article was published in the December 2000 issue of Labour Market Trends which includes an analysis of sickness absence in the public and private sectors for Summer 2000.
Driving Standards Agency
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will award the Driving Standards Agency a charter mark. [154740]
Mr. Stringer: The Driving Standards Agency was last awarded a charter mark in 1997. They reapplied last year. The independent Charter Mark Judging Panel concluded that this application should be deferred pending improvement in a number of areas. The re-application will therefore be assessed again in the summer.
Political Advisers
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many political advisers will resign when a general election is called; and what severance compensation they will be entitled to. [154290]
Marjorie Mowlam: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr. Tyrie) on 13 February 2001, Official Report, column 130W. Entitlement to severance compensation is also set out in the Model Contract.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Departmental Compensation Scheme
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that when pensioners are written to they, as part of the implementation of the Social Security (Inherited SERPS) Regulations 2001, are notified of his Department's compensation scheme for financial loss as a result of misleading information supplied by his Department. [154578]
Mr. Rooker: Under our proposals, the spouses of existing pensioners are fully protected; they will be able to inherit up to 100 per cent. of their late spouse's SERPS, as now. They do not need to claim compensation for their position to be fully restored. We are in the process of writing to all pensioners to explain the position.
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Severe Disablement Allowance
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new claims for Severe Disablement Allowance have been received each month since April 2000. [154078]
Mr. Bayley: The information is in the table.
| Month | SDA new claims |
|---|---|
| April 2000 | 3,459 |
| May 2000 | 3,884 |
| June 2000 | 3,966 |
| July 2000 | 3,830 |
| August 2000 | 4,172 |
| September 2000 | 4,226 |
| October 2000 | 4,418 |
| November 2000 | 4,539 |
| December 2000 | 3,122 |
| January 2001 | 4,065 |
Source:
Figures are taken from Central Data Unit 100 per cent. counts.
Winter Fuel Payment
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were eligible to receive Winter Fuel Payment in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000; and how many he estimates will receive it in 2001. [153581]
Mr. Rooker: Around 10 million people were eligible for Winter Fuel Payments in the winter of 1999-2000. Up to 11.5 million people could be eligible for the payment this winter, 2000-01, with a similar figure for next winter, 2001-02.
Lone Parents
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents on Income Support there are in the Leeds, Central constituency; and how many there were in May 1997. [154287]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.
| Thousand | |
|---|---|
| Leeds, Central constituency | |
| May 1997 | 3.3 |
| November 2000 | 3.1 |
Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
2. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore may be subject to sampling error.
3. Lone parents are defined as single claimants with dependant children, not in receipt of Pensioner or Disability Premium.
4. Dependant children are defined as children aged up to 15 or aged 16 to 18 in full-time education.
Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1997 and November 2000.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents on Income Support there are in (a) South Tyneside and (b) South Shields constituency; and how many there were in May 1997. [154438]
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Angela Eagle [holding answer 19 March 2001]: The information is in the table.
| Thousand | ||
|---|---|---|
| May 1997 | November 2000 | |
| South Tyneside Local Authority Area | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| South Shields Parliamentary Constituency | 2.0 | 2.1 |
Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
2. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore may be subject to sampling error.
3. Lone parents are defined as single claimants with dependant children, not in receipt of Pensioner or Disability Premium.
4. Dependant children are defined as children aged up to 15 or aged 16 to 18 in full-time education.
Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1997 and November 2000.
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