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Civil Servants

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants have been employed by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [92370]

Ruth Kelly: Figures for HM Treasury and its agencies at 1 April for the period 1994–2001 are published in Civil Service Statistics copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. Figures for 2002 will be published in due course.

Economic Inactivity

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many working-age people not in full-time education were economically inactive in each year since 1997. [91978]

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. David Willetts, dated 23 January 2003:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about economically inactive people not in full-time education. (91978)

The attached table give the information requested. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS).

Economically inactive people of working age⁽¹⁾ who are not in full-time education United Kingdom; 1997–2002⁽²⁾Thousands

December to November
1996–97	6,316
1997–98	6,320
1998–99	6,215
1999–2000	6,271
2000–01	6,327
2001–02	6,342

⁽¹⁾ Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.

⁽²⁾ Average for the twelve month period ending November of each year.

Note:

These Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates are Not Seasonally Adjusted (NSA) and have not yet been adjusted to take account of the recent Census2001 results.

Source:

Labour Force Survey (ONS)

EMU

Mr. Flight : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to publish the 14 supporting studies on euro convergence before his Department's assessment of the five tests for entry to EMU. [92818]

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Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 20 January 2003, Official Report, column 54W.

Equity Release

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the regulatory regime applicable to equity release products and providers. [92567]

Ruth Kelly: The Government is giving the Financial Services Authority responsibility for regulating mortgage business, including mortgage based equity release arrangements. In August last year, the FSA published its consultation paper, CP 146 setting out its approach to regulating mortgage sales including lifetime mortgages (the FSA's term for regulated equity release mortgages). It is expected that regulation of lifetime and other mortgages will come into force in October 2004.

As for home reversions, the Government announced in its Green Paper on Pensions that it would be looking at options to create a level playing field for the regulation of equity release and home reversion plans to protect consumers and make the market work better. The Government is gathering evidence of consumer detriment to decide the appropriate level of regulation. If the Government decides to go ahead and regulate home reversions the likely timescale would be a consultation later in the year, and the Government would decide on the basis of legal advice whether secondary or primary legislation was necessary.

EU (Economic Reform)

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's strategy is for economic reform in the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [91198]

Ruth Kelly: The Government's White Paper on European economic reform (Realising Europe's Potential; economic reform in Europe, February 2002) sets out the Government's strategy for economic reform in the European Union and describes the next steps in this process. These include:

further reform of labour markets to meet EU employment targets and establish employment opportunity for all;


less and better targeted state aid;


continued improvement of the EU competition regime;


work to deliver a genuine single market in services, including financial services, as well as in manufacturing; and


the full opening up of gas, electricity and telecoms markets.

Heritage and Antique Assets

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by his Department since May 1997; if he will list such assets; and if he will estimate the total sales proceeds. [92372]

Ruth Kelly: HM Treasury did not hold or dispose of any heritage assets over this period.

HM Treasury's Resource Accounts (1999–2000, Cm 5062 and 2000–01, HC 573) include a disclosure of all asset disposals including separate figures for

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antiques. Accounts for 2001–02 will be published shortly. Resource accounts were not compiled for years before 1999, and so data are not available in the form requested.

Home Insurance

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 14 January 2003, Official Report, column 514W, on home insurance, if he will publish the guidelines set out for the Financial Services Authority for their consultation on home insurance. [93035]

Ruth Kelly: The Government have not issued guidelines to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on the content of their consultation on mortgages and whether it should include requirements in relation to fees charged for switching home insurance.

Investment Growth

Mr. Flight : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on whether the Pre-Budget Report predictions of fixed investment growth will be fulfilled. [92817]

Ruth Kelly: As normal, the Government will update its forecasts for the UK economy in the forthcoming Budget.

Migration Statistics

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of net international migration of population of working age is assumed in his trend growth projections for 2002–03 to 2007–08; and if he will make a statement. [90983]

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury's neutral trend growth projections for 2002–03 to 2007–08 assume net inward migration to the UK of 104,000 people of working age a year.

Pension Contribution Tax Relief

Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer after (a) five years, (b) 10 years and (c) 20 years, of the Government's proposals to give people a lifetime limit for pension contribution tax relief. [91091]

Ruth Kelly: The cost of the proposed regime will depend on behavioural effects and the final design of the new regime, which will be decided in light of the consultation process.

Public Sector Workers (Retirement)

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to allow all staff in his Department to retire at age 65; what proportion of staff retire at or before age 60; and if he will make a statement. [92553]

Mr. Boateng: Retirement policy is a matter for individual public sector employers and detailed numerical information is not held centrally. Government policy as set out in last year's pensions green paper, "Simplicity, security and choice: Working and saving for retirement (Cm 5677)" is to encourage people to work up to the age of 65 and beyond if they

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wish. Public service employers are reviewing their retirement policies to take account of that. In local government, the normal pension age is already 65 for new entrants. Longer serving staff may have rights to an earlier normal pension age, between 60 and 65, depending on their length of service.

As set out in the Green Paper, the Government proposes to increase the normal pension age from 60 to 65 for new entrants to pension schemes such the NHS, teachers and civil service. Some 75 per cent. of civil servants already have the option to retire at age 65 and the numbers able to serve beyond age 60 are expected to increase. NHS staff are generally encouraged to continue to work beyond age 60 and those retiring on age grounds typically leave well after age 60. In the state education sector, teachers can normally work until age 65 if they wish and they can work beyond 65 by mutual agreement between the individual and the employer.

In the armed forces, police and fire services the great majority of people leave before age 60 and pensions for those retiring are payable well before 60. There are a few posts in these services where individuals may be retained beyond age 60. There are a few posts in these services where individuals may be retained beyond age 60.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the figure of 87 per cent. in Annex B of the Treasury Autumn Performance Report for the proportion of PSA performance targets met is based on the same calculation as the figure of 87 per cent. contained in Annex A2 of the Departmental Report; [87634]

(2) if he will place in the Library the calculations on which he based the statement that 87 per cent. of PSA performance targets have been met or partly met by 2002, as stated in Annex A2 of HM Treasury Departmental Report 2002; [87635]

(3) if he will place in the Library the calculations on which he based the statement that 87 per cent. of PSA performance targets have been met or partly met, as stated in Annex B of HM Treasury Autumn Performance Report, Cm 5665; [87636]

(4) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) of 27 November 2002, Official Report, column 343, if he will place in the Library his calculations for his statement that 93 per cent. of PSA performance targets have been met. [87842]

Mr. Boateng [holding answer 17 December 2002]: Both reports gave the latest position available at the time of publication, and are based on the same calculation: the number of targets met or partly met, divided by the total number of targets assessed. The Autumn Performance Report is therefore more up to date, and is based on 169 targets met or partly met out of 194 targets assessed. 11 targets have subsequently been met or nearly met, giving 180 targets out of 194, which is how the 93 per cent. figure is derived.

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