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29 Oct 2002 : Column 696W—continued
Euro Payments
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of retail businesses that accept the euro in payment for goods and services. [77625]
Ruth Kelly: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Rammell) on 13 June, Official Report, column 1396W.
European Central Bank
Mr. Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress towards reform of the arrangements for the control of inflation of the European Central Bank. [78087]
Ruth Kelly: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 231W.
National Changeover Plan
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost of the National Changeover Plan to date; what the money has been spent on; and what further expenditure is planned. [78121]
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Ruth Kelly: Details of expenditure on changeover planning were included in the Sixth Report on Euro Preparations, published on 18 July 2002. Copies of the report are in the Library of the House.
Private Pension Schemes
Mr. Jack: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was put into private pension schemes of all types in each of the last five years, per head of the working population. [77826]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Mr. L Cook to Mr. Michael Jack, dated 29 October 2002:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on pension contribution statistics [77826].
- Following the publication of the Review of Pension Contribution Statistics on 10 October the estimated value of contributions to private pension schemes over the last five years in # billion are:
| Year | Value of contributions |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 33.1 |
| 1998 | 37.3 |
| 1999 | 42.3 |
| 2000 | 47.5 |
| 2001 | (4)49.9 |
(4) Data for 2001 are provisional. They are based on quarterly estimates and include a National Accounts coherence adjustment.
These figures are consistent with those published in Annex B, Table 1 on pages 31 and 32 of the Review, a copy of which is attached. They include net contributions to funded occupational schemes, individual and employer contributions to individual/personal pensions and also the employee contributions to unfounded and notionally funded schemes.
The components are shown as follows The row detail refer to Annex B, table 1 of the Review of Pension Contribution Statistics:
| Year | Contributions to individual and personal pensions(5) | Contributions to unfounded and notionally funded schemes(6) | Contributions to occupational pensions (self administered and insurance managed(7) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 8,200 | 2,801 | 22,051 | 33,052 |
| 1998 | 9,000 | 2,715 | 25,603 | 37,318 |
| 1999 | 9,400 | 3,024 | 29,874 | 42,298 |
| 2000 | 10,300 | 3,472 | 33,741 | 47,513 |
| 2001(8) | 11,600 | 3,912 | 34,374 | 49,886 |
(5) Row M
(6) Employee's part of row L
(7) Row I + row K
(8) Data for 2001 are provisional. They are based on quarterly estimates and include a National Accounts coherence adjustment.
Estimates of the total working population have been taken from Labour Market Statistics issued in October. These estimates cover employed and self-employed persons and include part time
29 Oct 2002 : Column 698W
employees and represent the position at April. They are the average of the four quarters in each of the five years. The totals, in thousands, are:
| Year | Number of people employed |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 26,663 |
| 1998 | 27,044 |
| 1999 | 27,465 |
| 2000 | 27,830 |
| 2001 | 28,090 |
To the nearest #10, the contributions per head of the total working population are:
| Year | Value of contribution |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 1,240 |
| 1998 | 1,380 |
| 1999 | 1,540 |
| 2000 | 1,710 |
| 2001 | 1,780 |
Public and Employers' Liability Insurance
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of changes in the ability of employers to obtain public and employers' liability insurance. [77988]
Ruth Kelly: The Government are aware of recent increases in premiums for public and employers' liability insurance, and is monitoring the situation closely.
Public Service Agreements
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact that the level of public sector pay settlements is having on the money available to meet the targets set out in public service agreements. [78177]
Mr. Boateng: Departments are responsible for ensuring that targets are delivered within the budgets which have been set.
Small Businesses
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Confederation of British Industry regarding the position of small businesses. [77940]
Dawn Primarolo: Treasury Ministers meet regularly with business leaders and others to discuss a wide range of topics.
Tax Receipts
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the expected outturn for tax receipts for 2002–03. [78179]
Dawn Primarolo: Consistent with the Code for Fiscal Stability, an interim update of projections for the public finances will be published in the forthcoming pre-Budget Report.
29 Oct 2002 : Column 699W
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Departmental Vehicles
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many vehicles she and her Ministers have access to, broken down by vehicle type; what the annual operating costs are for the last three financial years; how much it costs to convert a car so it is suitable for a Minister; and if she will make a statement. [76925]
Dr. Howells: Four cars are accessible to Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as follows:
- Vauxhall Omega Elite;
- Vauxhall Vectra GLS; and
- two Ford Mondeo Zetec's.
The annual operating cost for the past three years are:
| April 2000 to March 2001 | April 2001 to March 2002 | April 2002 to March 2003 | |
| Secretary of State | 61,028 | 62,700 | 67,620 |
| Minister | 48,497 | 50,145 | 51,148 |
| Minister | 57,705 | 59,292 | 55,258 |
| Minister | 56,763 | 50,145 | 51,216 |
The cost of converting a car to enable it to be suitable for a Minister is #510.
Draft Communications Bill
James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to publish the Government's response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Bill. [78438]
Tessa Jowell: With my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, I have pleasure to inform the House that the Government's formal response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Bill will be published this afternoon. I would also like to express my gratitude to Lord Puttnam and his committee for their valuable contribution to our preparations of the Communications Bill.
Drug Testing
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tests for EPO have been conducted in the UK during (a) the Commonwealth Games and (b) other sporting events; and if she will make a statement. [77518]
Mr. Caborn: The anti-doping programme in the UK is delivered through the national anti-doping organisation, UK Sport. In addition, UK Sport was contracted by the Commonwealth Games Federation in conjunction with Manchester 2002 (the organising committee for the 2002 Commonwealth Games) to manage the anti-doping programme over the Games period.
UK Sport has confirmed that during the Commonwealth Games it conducted 16 tests for erythropoietin (EPO). The other sporting events where UK Sport has conducted EPO testing have been the
29 Oct 2002 : Column 700W
2002 London Marathon, where 16 EPO tests were undertaken, and the World Half Marathon, which took place in Bristol in October 2001, where five EPO tests were undertaken.
Firefighters' Strike
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what preparations she has made to ensure the safety and continuity of service to the public in the event of a firefighters' strike; and what the cost is to the Department of these actions. [77657]
Dr. Howells: DCMS staff are fully trained in fire safety, and have been reminded of the need for greater care and vigilance in the event of a firefighters' strike. This measure, which will ensure the continuity of services operated directly from DCMS, has been achieved at no additional cost to the annual administration budget. The majority of our services are provided through the Department's NDPBs, who are responsible for making their own provisions for ensuring business continuity in the event of a firefighters' strike.
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