House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 6 May 2003 (pt 23)

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]

(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]

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:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about economically inactive people of working age. (107920)

The attached tables give the information requested for the three month periods ending February 1998, February 2002 and February 2003. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for which the winter quarter covers the months from

6 May 2003 : Column 620W

December to February. Regional estimates for the three month period ending February 1993 are not currently available on a consistent basis. These will be available from 12 November 2003.

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

	December to February
Government Office Regions	1992–03⁽¹⁶⁾	1997–98	2001–02	2002–03


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 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 sexThousand, not seasonally adjusted

December to February

Government Office Regions 1997–98 2001–02 2002–03

All

United Kingdom 186 181 175

North East ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

North West 23 21 19

Yorkshire & Humberside 18 15 14

East Midlands 15 10 ⁽¹⁹⁾—

West Midlands 18 11 13

East of England 15 16 17

London 27 28 32

South East 23 27 21

South West 13 14 14

Wales ⁽¹⁹⁾— 12 10

Scotland 13 15 16

Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a

Men

United Kingdom 81 86 81

North East ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

North West 12 13 ⁽¹⁹⁾—

Yorkshire & Humberside ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

East Midlands ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

West Midlands ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

East of England ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

London 12 11 19

South East ⁽¹⁹⁾— 10 ⁽¹⁹⁾—

South West ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

Wales ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

Scotland ⁽¹⁹⁾— 10 10

Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a

Women

United Kingdom 105 94 94

North East ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

North West 11 ⁽¹⁹⁾— 14

Yorkshire & Humberside 10 ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

East Midlands 10 ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

West Midlands 10 ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

East of England 11 ⁽¹⁹⁾— 10

London 15 17 13

South East 14 16 13

South West ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

Wales ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

Scotland ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾— ⁽¹⁹⁾—

Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a

	December to February
Government Office Regions	1997–98	2001–02	2002–03


All
United Kingdom	186	181	175
North East	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
North West	23	21	19
Yorkshire & Humberside	18	15	14
East Midlands	15	10	⁽¹⁹⁾—
West Midlands	18	11	13
East of England	15	16	17
London	27	28	32
South East	23	27	21
South West	13	14	14
Wales	⁽¹⁹⁾—	12	10
Scotland	13	15	16
Northern Ireland	n/a	n/a	n/a
Men
United Kingdom	81	86	81
North East	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
North West	12	13	⁽¹⁹⁾—
Yorkshire & Humberside	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
East Midlands	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
West Midlands	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
East of England	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
London	12	11	19
South East	⁽¹⁹⁾—	10	⁽¹⁹⁾—
South West	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
Wales	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
Scotland	⁽¹⁹⁾—	10	10
Northern Ireland	n/a	n/a	n/a

Women
United Kingdom	105	94	94
North East	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
North West	11	⁽¹⁹⁾—	14
Yorkshire & Humberside	10	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
East Midlands	10	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
West Midlands	10	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
East of England	11	⁽¹⁹⁾—	10
London	15	17	13
South East	14	16	13
South West	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
Wales	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
Scotland	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—	⁽¹⁹⁾—
Northern Ireland	n/a	n/a	n/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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