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10 Dec 2002 : Column 260W—continued
Economic Tests
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the pre-Budget report November 2002 (Cm 5664) Box 2.3, what technical work needed to enable assessment of the five economic tests has been completed. [86285]
Ruth Kelly: As we set out in the 'Paper for the Treasury Select Committee on the Treasury's Approach to the Preliminary and Technical Work', issued on 6 September, XA number of supporting studies will be published encompassing the preliminary and technical work . . . When the assessment is complete, the detailed supporting studies will be published alongside, all to be subject to intensive public scrutiny and debate." More detail on the supporting studies is given in the 6 September paper.
Enterprise Areas
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the 2000 enterprise areas announced in the Pre-Budget Report fall within (a) Roxburgh and Berwickshire and (b) the Scottish Borders. [85698]
John Healey: The enterprise areas in Scotland are defined as the 15 per cent. most deprived areas as identified by the Scottish Index of Deprivation 1998. There are no areas within Roxburgh and Berwickshire or the Scottish Borders that fall into this category.
However, other measures taken by the Government in the Pre-Budget Report will benefit businesses in these areas, including the announcement of the extension of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme to firms in the
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retail, catering and several other sectors from April 2003. The Scottish Executive will introduce on 1 April 2003 a tapering mandatory small business rate relief, worth in total around #45 million to qualifying businesses. The Scottish Executive will also be distributing the Small Business Service's start-up guide, which will bring together information on all Government requirements and support for SMEs in a single start-up pack by spring 2003.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions officials from his Department have had with representatives of local government regarding the relaxation of requirements for detailed planning permission in enterprise areas announced in the Pre-Budget Report. [85964]
John Healey: The Pre-Budget report announced that the Government will consider how to encourage local authorities to introduce Local Development Orders to relax planning control in enterprise areas. The Government's proposals on LDOs were the subject of wide public consultation following the issue of the Government's Green Paper, XPlanning: Delivering a Fundamental Change" (December 2001).
Firefighters
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the increase in the net value of firefighters' pensions which would result from a 1 per cent. increase in the current annual wage bill; and if he will make a statement. [86279]
Mr. Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
Responsibility for the Firefighters Pension Scheme rests with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar on 9 December 2002.
Infant Mortality
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the infant mortality rate in the families of members of the armed forces has been in each year since 1990. [86216]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Murrison, dated 10 December 2002:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on what the infant mortality rate was in the families of members of the armed forces in each year since 1990. (86216)
- The table below provides infant mortality rates where either the mother or father was recorded as being in the armed forces at registration. At the registration of births and deaths of children, information on the occupation is only collected for the father and the mother, not for other members of the family. Father's occupation is only collected for births that occur inside marriage and those outside marriage that are jointly registered by both parents. Information on mother's occupation is seldom provided.
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| Number of deaths | Rate(20) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 79 | 6.4 |
| 1991 | 70 | 5.9 |
| 1992 | 73 | 5.8 |
| 1993 | 46 | 4.1 |
| 1994 | 43 | 4.1 |
| 1995 | 41 | 3.9 |
| 1996 | 50 | 5.3 |
| 1997 | 53 | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 45 | 5.3 |
| 1999 | 34 | 4.2 |
| 2000 | 26 | 3.3 |
| 2001(21) | 32 | 4.3 |
(20) Per 1,000 live births. Figures for live births are a 10 per cent. sample coded for mother's and father's occupation. Information on the father's occupation at birth is not collected for births outside marriage if the father does not attend the registration of the baby's birth. These births and any subsequent infant deaths are excluded from the figures, unless where information was provided that the mother was in the armed forces (8 deaths in 1990–2001).
(21) Provisional.
Source:
Office for National Statistics
Insurance
Andy King: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met representatives from the insurance industry to discuss the impact of the level of insurance premiums on the building and construction industries. [86045]
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions officials from his Department have had with representatives of (a) the insurance industry and (b) business regarding the future of employers' liability insurance. [85960]
Ruth Kelly: The Treasury is in regular contact with industry on a wide range of insurance matters. In the Pre-Budget Report, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor, announced that the Department for Work and Pensions would undertake a formal review of the operation of employers' liability compulsory insurance.
Insurance Premium Tax
Andy King: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was received from insurance premium tax (a) in the first year it was levied and (b) last year. [86041]
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the yield from taxing insurance premiums since 1997 in (a) cash and (b) real terms. [85700]
Ruth Kelly: Figures for receipts of insurance premium tax in cash terms are available in Table 2.1D of the Office for National Statistics publication, XFinancial Statistics".
Andy King: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he last reviewed insurance premium tax; [86042]
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- (2) what plans he has to (a) reduce and (b) cap insurance premium tax. [86044]
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment his Department has made of the effects of a reduction in insurance premium tax; [85967]
- (2) whether the review of employers' liability insurance announced in the pre-budget report will consider the possibility of reducing insurance premium tax. [85966]
Ruth Kelly: As with all taxes, Insurance Premium Tax is kept under review and any changes are announced in the annual Budget.
Mental Health (Children)
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Office for National Statistics will publish its report on children's mental health services. [86467]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from L. Cook to Mr. Paul Marsden, dated 10 December 2002:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the Office for National Statsistics (ONS) report on children's mental health services. (86467)
- In March 2000 ONS produced a report which presented the findings of a survey of the mental health of children and adolescents, aged 5–15, in Great Britain (Meltzer et al, 2000). The survey was carried out between January and May 1999. It was commissioned by the Department of Health, the Scottish Health Executive and the National Assembly for Wales.
- The first part of the report focused on the prevalence rates of mental disorders among young people. The second part showed the way in which children and adolescents with particular disorders vary from those without any disorder on a range of factors including their background, personal and familial characteristics, physical health, use of services and social functioning.
- In this context, children's mental health services included health, social, educational and voluntary care services which provided treatment and advice given to young people with mental health problems. In the ONS report, the data presented on the use of services come from parents' reports of who they went to seek help from if they thought their child had a significant mental health problem.
- Six months previously, in September 1999, the Audit Commission produced a report of their two-year national audit of the specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) provided by health authorities and trusts. (Audit Commission, 1999).
- References.
- Meltzer H, Gatward R, Goodman R & Ford T (2000) Mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain, London: The Stationery Office
- Audit Commission (1999) National Report—Children in mind: child and adolescent mental health services
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