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6 May 2003 : Column 618W—continued

Entertainment Costs

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.

Equity Release

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.

Financial Services Authority

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]

6 May 2003 : Column 619W

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.

Fuel Levy

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.

Home Reversion Schemes

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.

Inactivity Rates

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

Table 1: Working age(14) economic inactivity rates(15) by region and sex
Percentage, not seasonally adjusted

December to February
Government Office Regions1992–03(16)1997–982001–022002–03
All
United Kingdom21.522.121.921.7
North East26.526.327.4
North West25.224.123.2
Yorkshire & Humberside23.423.222.9
East Midlands20.420.420.9
West Midlands21.621.721.3
East of England18.617.618.6
London24.024.525.2
South East18.117.317.6
South West18.318.618.3
Wales27.127.525.0
Scotland22.722.521.1
Northern Ireland26.729.226.4
Men
United Kingdom14.216.016.516.4
North East20.222.322.9
North West19.719.618.1
Yorkshire & Humberside18.017.417.2
East Midlands14.415.515.8
West Midlands14.415.716.0
East of England12.211.713.2
London16.816.917.5
South East11.511.812.6
South West13.114.714.4
Wales22.922.221.3
Scotland18.018.517.2
Northern Ireland18.122.118.0
Women
United Kingdom29.428.527.727.3
North East33.230.432.2
North West31.128.828.5
Yorkshire & Humberside29.129.528.9
East Midlands27.025.826.4
West Midlands29.328.227.0
East of England25.623.924.3
London31.032.132.9
South East25.123.223.1
South West23.922.822.5
Wales31.533.028.8
Scotland27.626.625.2
Northern Ireland35.836.635.2

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

(15) Economically inactive as a percentage of the working age population.

(16) Regional data not available.Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey


Table 2: Economically inactive people of working age(17) who are seeking work(18) by region and sex
Thousand, not seasonally adjusted

December to February
Government Office Regions1997–982001–022002–03
All
United Kingdom186181175
North East(19)(19)(19)
North West232119
Yorkshire & Humberside181514
East Midlands1510(19)
West Midlands181113
East of England151617
London272832
South East232721
South West131414
Wales(19)1210
Scotland131516
Northern Irelandn/an/an/a
Men
United Kingdom818681
North East(19)(19)(19)
North West1213(19)
Yorkshire & Humberside(19)(19)(19)
East Midlands(19)(19)(19)
West Midlands(19)(19)(19)
East of England(19)(19)(19)
London121119
South East(19)10(19)
South West(19)(19)(19)
Wales(19)(19)(19)
Scotland(19)1010
Northern Irelandn/an/an/a
Women
United Kingdom1059494
North East(19)(19)(19)
North West11(19)14
Yorkshire & Humberside10(19)(19)
East Midlands10(19)(19)
West Midlands10(19)(19)
East of England11(19)10
London151713
South East141613
South West(19)(19)(19)
Wales(19)(19)(19)
Scotland(19)(19)(19)
Northern Irelandn/an/an/a

(17) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59

(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/a—Data not availableSource:

ONS Labour Force Survey


6 May 2003 : Column 621W


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