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Manufacturing and Service Sectors

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the population was employed in the (a) manufacturing sector and (b) service sector for each of the last five years. [10086]

Ruth Kelly: 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. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 30 October 2001:



UK workforce jobs by industry

Manufacturing Services Other industries(32)
Section D of SIC (92) Sections G-Q of SIC(92)
As at June (seasonally adjusted)Numbers (000s)Percentage of workforceNumber (000s)Percentage of workforceNumber (000s)Percentage of workforce
19974,49515.921,12374.92,5769.1
19984,52515.821,43375.02,6059.1
19994,34715.121,97276.12,5518.8
20004,21814.522,26776.62,5798.9
20014,07914.022,55877.22,5928.9

(32) 'Other industries' include agriculture, fishing, mining and quarrying, utilities and construction (sections A, B, C, E and F of SIC(92)).


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These estimates are based on the results of regular sample surveys of employers which count the number of employee jobs. Data on self-employment are obtained from the Labour Force Survey. An individual with two jobs would count twice in these figures: in order to avoid double-counting, the percentages are related to total workforce jobs rather than the UK population.

Job Losses

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs were lost in the (a) tourism, (b) agriculture, (c) fishing and (d) defence-related industries in Devon and Cornwall in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [10395]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 30 October 2001:



Census

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what national allowance he will make for unreturned census forms; and how this allowance will be calculated; [11145]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated October 2001:



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Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for changes in the percentage of households that failed to return Census forms in the last 10 years. [11143]

Ruth Kelly: The information falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated 30 October 2001:




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Commercial Banks

Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the role of collections units of the commercial banks, with particular reference to their policies towards pensioners and those soon to become pensioners. [10636]

Ruth Kelly: The Banking Code sets standards of banking practice for banks and building societies when they are dealing with all personal customers, including pensioners. The Chancellor set up the independent Banking Services Consumer Codes Review Group last year. As part of its work the group examined how banks treat individuals in financial difficulties. The group reported in May 2001 and recommended revisions to the Code to ensure consumers in financial difficulty are dealt with appropriately. The financial services industry is already taking forward work to revise this part of the Code.

Debt collecting is also a licensable activity under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The licensing system is administered by the Director General of Fair Trading who has the power to revoke a licence if he believes that a business is not fit to engage in the activities covered by it. In reaching his decision, he will take account of any business practices which appear to him to be deceitful or oppressive, or otherwise unfair or improper.

Exchange Rate Policy

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his exchange rate policy. [10508]

Ruth Kelly: The Government do not have a target for sterling, but a stable and competitive rate is sought over the medium term, consistent with the objective of price stability. The way to ensure long-term exchange rate stability is through the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies aimed at achieving sustained growth and low inflation.


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