---

27 Oct 2003 : Column 41W—continued

National Minimum Wage

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the national minimum wage was introduced; what the level was; what the (a) level and (b) date was of each increase; and what each of these levels was as a percentage of the national average wage. [133852]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Meacher, dated 27 October 2003:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about when the National Minimum Wage was introduced, what its levels have been over the years, and what percentage of the national average wage these levels represented. (133852)

27 Oct 2003 : Column 42W

Details of the different wage rate levels and when they were introduced are given in the attached tables. UK legislation covering minimum wage rates for employees over the age of 18 was introduced on 1 April 1999 (Table 1). Since 1999, the rates both for 18–21 year-olds, and for those over 21 have been increased.

Table 2 compares the threshold for the adult minimum wage with average pay for the nearest comparable age band for the New Earnings Survey, which is conducted in April each year.

Table 1

	National Minimum Wage
Period to which minimum wagerate applies	Ages18–21 (£)	Age 22+ (percentage)
April 1999–May 2000	3.00	3.60
June 2000–September 2000	3.20	3.60
October 2000–September 2001	3.20	3.70
October 2001–September 2002	3.50	4.10
October 2002–September 2003	3.60	4.20
October 2003–	3.80	4.50

Table 2

Survey date	Minimum wage rate for people aged 22+	Average hourly pay of people aged 21+	Minimum wage as percentage of average hourly pay (percentage)
April 1999	3.60	10.13	34.5
April 2000	3.60	10.62	33.9
April 2001	3.70	11.30	32.7
April 2002	4.10	11.86	34.6
April 2003	4.20	12.16	34.5

Net Borrowing

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to review his forecasts for net borrowing before the forthcoming Pre-Budget Report. [135010]

Ruth Kelly: An interim forecast update for the public finances will be published as usual in the Pre-Budget Report.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total duty levied on goods marked as made in Israel but which originate from the Occupied Territories since the Treasury Statement of 3 April. [133958]

John Healey: Duty demands totalling £52,490.61 have been issued to UK importers since 3 April 2003.

Personal Debt

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings have taken place in the last three months between the Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority to discuss (a) the sustainability of consumer debt and (b) house prices and mortgage lending. [134706]

27 Oct 2003 : Column 43W

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury, the Bank of England and the FSA hold regular meetings in a number of contexts to discuss important economic issues.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the percentage of all new capital assets used by the public sector and provided by private finance initiative in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05. [134006]

Mr. Boateng: PFI/PPP represented 11 per cent. of total investment in public services in 2002–03. Projected figures for investment delivered through PFI/PPP as a proportion of total investment in public services in 2003–04 and 2004–05 are 11 per cent. and 8 per cent. respectively.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in a private finance initiative contract including the use of physical property the property is retained by the private sector at the conclusion of the contract. [134007]

Mr. Boateng: The guidance issued by the Office of Government Commerce on the Standardisation of PFI Contracts makes clear that procuring authorities should consider whether or not retaining physical property at the conclusion of a contract offers the best value for money available.

The decision is for the procuring authority and should be made in light of its long-term objectives and the nature of the property involved.

Public Sector Pensions

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in relation to the estimation of the cost of pensions under the Whole of Government Accounts, what excess of the discount rate over the rate of price inflation has been applied to future liabilities; and what the typical corresponding rate is that is used by the private sector under FRS17. [130884]

Ruth Kelly: In my answer of 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 5W, I said on advice that the majority of private sector schemes reporting under FRS17 used a discount rate clustered around 5.6 per cent. real. I have since been advised that this rate is, in fact, the nominal discount rate. The average real rate underlying this rate is 3.3 per cent. I very much regret having inadvertently given incorrect information in my earlier answer.

Registration (Births)

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in establishing a ceremony for the registration of births of children which records the mutual rights and responsibilities of the parents and the state. [134584]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the General Registrar. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Kidney, dated 27 October 2003:

27 Oct 2003 : Column 44W

As Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what progress has been made in establishing a ceremony for the registration of births of children which records the mutual rights and responsibilities of the parents and the state. (134584)
There is no specific proposal to establish such a ceremony. However, in January 2001 the Government published a White Paper "Civil Registration: Vital Change" (CM 5355) containing proposals for the reform of the civil registration service in England and Wales. These proposals include the potential for the civil registration service to both provide celebratory services and to signpost other service and information sources. It is intended that the White Paper proposals are taken forward by means of an order under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001. The first phase of this process involves a mandatory public consultation. This was completed on 24 October.

Relocation (County Durham)

Mr. Cummings: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received, and from whom, on relocation of government departments to County Durham. [134652]

Mr. Boateng: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has received three representations about the relocation of public sector activity to the County of Durham. These were submitted by interested individuals.

Retirement (Paid Employment)

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people who have retired in each of the last five years are still in paid employment. [133491]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Paul Flynn, dated 27 October 2003:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about retired people who are still in employment. (133491)

The attached table gives estimates of the number of people over state pension age who are in employment, for the three month periods ending August of each year from 1999 to 2003. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS does not collect information about the number of people who have retired in each of the last five years who are still in employment.

People over state pension age⁽¹²⁾ who are in employmentUK, Thousand, seasonally adjusted

June to August	Men aged 65+ and women aged 60+
1999	806
2000	824
2001	853
2002	874
2003	956

⁽¹²⁾ 65 for men, 60 for women

Source:

Labour Force Survey (ONS)

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to business of implementing the stamp duty land tax regulations; and if he will make a statement. [134550]

27 Oct 2003 : Column 45W

Ruth Kelly: Businesses will notice little change in complying with the Stamp Duty Land Tax regulations as liability to Stamp Duty Land Tax should be reported and duty paid, as now, within 30 days of completion. The key change of Stamp Duty Land Tax will be that liability is notified by the completion of a Land

27 Oct 2003 : Column 46W

Transaction Return. This removes the need to send documents to the Inland Revenue for the purposes of stamping. In addition, the regulations provide for the abolition of stamp duty on transactions involving property other than land, shares and interests in partnerships. This de-regulation will take many transactions out of stamp duty altogether.

27 Oct 2003 : Column 47W

---