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6 May 2003 : Column 618Wcontinued
Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [106256]
Ruth Kelly: All entertainment by the Treasury is carried out fully in accordance with Paragraph 65 of the Ministerial code.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many households have taken out equity release products in each of the last 10 years; [111066]
Ruth Kelly: We do not collect information on numbers of equity release products or complaints.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the Financial Services Authority intends to conduct surveys to assess how consumer confidence in financial services products would be affected by the options put forward in the FSA's discussion paper 19; [111458]
(3) whether the Financial Services Authority will be publishing detailed estimates of the reductions in unit costs that would be offered by the options for pension regulation put forward in the FSA's discussion paper 19; [111442]
(4) what indication the Financial Services Authority has received from the financial services industry of the number of new savers with low incomes that would be likely to start saving as a result of the proposals laid out in the FSA's discussion paper 19; [111438]
(5) if he will make a statement on the response received from the Consumer Association to the Financial Services Authority Discussion Paper 19 on simplified investment products. [111434]
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Ruth Kelly: The design of the sales process for the proposed new range of Sandier products is a matter for the Financial Services Authority. They will be taking forward the options set out in their Discussion Paper 19 in the light of responses received and in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates will be raised by the extra 1p levy on red diesel; and how much it will cost to provide the reduced tractor duty levy in a full year. [111267]
John Healey: The estimated yield from the increase in duty on rebated fuels of 1p above revalorisation is given in Table A.1 of this year's Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 500), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Budget 2001 abolished VED on tractors, similar agricultural vehicles and all other vehicles that previously qualified for a special concessionary VED rate; the cost of that exemption was estimated in Table A.11 of that year's Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 279), a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if his Department has consulted (a) industry and (b) consumer bodies about whether home reversion schemes should be regulated; [111063]
Ruth Kelly: As announced in the Government's Green Paper on Pensions, the Government are looking at the 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. Treasury officials have since had informal discussions with a range of stakeholders. No decisions have yet been taken and an announcement will be made in due course.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the working age inactivity rate was by (a) region and (b) gender, in the last quarter of (i) 1992, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002; and how many people were inactive but looking for a job in each case. [107920]
Ruth Kelly [holding answer 9 April 2003]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 6 May 2003:
6 May 2003 : Column 620W
December to February | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Government Office Regions | 199203(16) | 199798 | 200102 | 200203 |
All | ||||
United Kingdom | 21.5 | 22.1 | 21.9 | 21.7 |
North East | | 26.5 | 26.3 | 27.4 |
North West | | 25.2 | 24.1 | 23.2 |
Yorkshire & Humberside | | 23.4 | 23.2 | 22.9 |
East Midlands | | 20.4 | 20.4 | 20.9 |
West Midlands | | 21.6 | 21.7 | 21.3 |
East of England | | 18.6 | 17.6 | 18.6 |
London | | 24.0 | 24.5 | 25.2 |
South East | | 18.1 | 17.3 | 17.6 |
South West | | 18.3 | 18.6 | 18.3 |
Wales | | 27.1 | 27.5 | 25.0 |
Scotland | | 22.7 | 22.5 | 21.1 |
Northern Ireland | | 26.7 | 29.2 | 26.4 |
Men | ||||
United Kingdom | 14.2 | 16.0 | 16.5 | 16.4 |
North East | | 20.2 | 22.3 | 22.9 |
North West | | 19.7 | 19.6 | 18.1 |
Yorkshire & Humberside | | 18.0 | 17.4 | 17.2 |
East Midlands | | 14.4 | 15.5 | 15.8 |
West Midlands | | 14.4 | 15.7 | 16.0 |
East of England | | 12.2 | 11.7 | 13.2 |
London | | 16.8 | 16.9 | 17.5 |
South East | | 11.5 | 11.8 | 12.6 |
South West | | 13.1 | 14.7 | 14.4 |
Wales | | 22.9 | 22.2 | 21.3 |
Scotland | | 18.0 | 18.5 | 17.2 |
Northern Ireland | | 18.1 | 22.1 | 18.0 |
Women | ||||
United Kingdom | 29.4 | 28.5 | 27.7 | 27.3 |
North East | | 33.2 | 30.4 | 32.2 |
North West | | 31.1 | 28.8 | 28.5 |
Yorkshire & Humberside | | 29.1 | 29.5 | 28.9 |
East Midlands | | 27.0 | 25.8 | 26.4 |
West Midlands | | 29.3 | 28.2 | 27.0 |
East of England | | 25.6 | 23.9 | 24.3 |
London | | 31.0 | 32.1 | 32.9 |
South East | | 25.1 | 23.2 | 23.1 |
South West | | 23.9 | 22.8 | 22.5 |
Wales | | 31.5 | 33.0 | 28.8 |
Scotland | | 27.6 | 26.6 | 25.2 |
Northern Ireland | | 35.8 | 36.6 | 35.2 |
(14) Men aged 1664 and women aged 1659.
(15) Economically inactive as a percentage of the working age population.
(16) Regional data not available.Source:
ONS Labour Force Survey
(17) Men aged 1664 and women aged 1659
(18) Economically inactive people seeking work in the last 4 weeks but not available to start work in the next 2 weeks
(19) Sample size too small for reliable estimaten/aData not availableSource:
ONS Labour Force Survey
6 May 2003 : Column 621W
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