| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
15 Dec 2003 : Column 698W—continued
Unemployment
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many economically inactive people of working age were seeking employment in each
15 Dec 2003 : Column 699W
year between 1992 and 2002; how many workless households there were in each year; and if he will make a statement. [143132]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 15 December 2003:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about economically inactive people of working age seeking employment and the number of workless households. (143132)
- The attached table gives the information requested for the three month periods ending May each year. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
- Economically inactive people seeking employment are not classified as unemployed in the United Kingdom statistics unless, following the International Labour Organisation guidelines, they are also available to start work within the two weeks following their LFS interview. The figures shown in the table are for the group of people who stated they were not available to start work within that period.
- A workless household is a household that includes at least one person of working age where no-one present is in employment.
- The LFS is a sample survey and, as with any sample survey, the estimates are subject to sampling variability.
| March to May | Economically inactive people of working age(23) seeking employment (seasonally adjusted) | Number of workless households (not seasonally adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | — | 3,043 |
| 1993 | 274 | 3,283 |
| 1994 | 227 | 3,391 |
| 1995 | 237 | 3,446 |
| 1996 | 183 | 3,444 |
| 1997 | 205 | 3,271 |
| 1998 | 217 | 3,237 |
| 1999 | 212 | 3,158 |
| 2000 | 189 | 3,070 |
| 2001 | 194 | 3,063 |
| 2002 | 183 | 3,133 |
| 2003 | 197 | 3,043 |
(23) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
— Due to questionnaire routing error, figures for 1992 are incorrect and therefore are not shown.
Those for workless households have not yet been subject to this adjustment.
Source:
Labour Force Survey (ONS)
Winter Fuel Payment
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many single (a) women and (b) men in 2003 will reach the age of 60 years after the qualifying week for Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, but before 25 December. [143085]
Malcolm Wicks: It is estimated that around 23,000 single women and 18,000 single men will reach the age of 60 after the qualifying week of 15 to 21 September 2003 but before 25 December 2003 in Great Britain.
We estimate around 11.5 million people will be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter and 11,316,111 payments have been issued to date.
15 Dec 2003 : Column 700W
Notes: 1. The figures have been calculated using the latest GAD population projections and the 2001 Census data. 2. Those recorded by the Census as being widowed or divorced have been included as being single. 3. The figure for entitlement should not be used to calculate take-up: It is an estimate and therefore subject to margins of error, the number of recipients will rise as late claims are processed.
Malcolm Wicks: It is estimated that around 36,000 single women and 12,000 single men will reach the age of 80 after the qualifying week of 15 to 21 September 2003 but before 25 December 2003 in Great Britain.
We estimate over two million people in Great Britain will be eligible for the 80+ Annual Payment this winter and almost all have received their extra entitlement with their Winter Fuel Payment.
- Notes:
- 1. The figures have been calculated using the latest GAD population projections and the 2001 Census data.
- 2. Those recorded by the Census as being widowed or divorced have been included as being single.
- 3. Virtually all cases aged over 79 will be in receipt of State Retirement Pension, or another DWP benefit, and will therefore be paid automatically.
TRANSPORT
End of Life Vehicles Directive
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being implemented to prevent the Continuous Registration system of cars being circumvented, with regard to the End of Life Vehicles Directive. [143956]
Mr. Jamieson: The End of Life Vehicles Directive requires member states among other thing, to put in place measures to ensure that end of life vehicles are disposed of cleanly. In most cases initially, this will be by vehicle keepers and after 2007, by producers.
The purpose of continuous registration is to maintain an accurate vehicle register entry for every vehicle in use. In the event that it is disposed of by scrapping, the last keeper will be issued with a certificate of destruction by the DVLA. Under continuous registration the keeper is continuously responsible for licensing or declaring a Statutory Off Road Notice on their vehicle every year until transfer to another keeper or disposal.
A449
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable for improving the safety of the A449 between Claines Roundabout and Ombersley. [143926]
Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency will be conducting a safety study on this section of the A449 within the next three months to develop a package of measures to improve safety. Any recommendations from this study will be added to the programme of safety improvements.
15 Dec 2003 : Column 701W
Aircraft (Pollution)
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of technological improvements in aircraft which will be available to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide by 2010. [144193]
Mr. McNulty: The Government keep abreast of emissions technology developments and future prospects through direct contact with the industry and through international regulatory discussions. Significant advances are forecast for reducing emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) for engines due to enter service before 2010.
In the context of air quality assessment work supporting decisions to be announced in the forthcoming White Paper, DfT has examined emissions technology developments out as far as 2020.
Aircraft Noise
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which areas he expects would be affected by aircraft noise following the possible construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. [144084]
Mr. McNulty: The areas that would be affected are set out in Chapter 7 of the consultation document "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East, Second Edition", published in February 2003, pages 56 and 57.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the level of increase in noise that residents living under and around the flight path would experience following the possible construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. [144085]
Mr. McNulty: The level of increase in noise would depend on the distance of individual residents from the proposed runway and its flight paths and the level of other existing noise sources. Illustrative noise contours, and the areas and populations contained within them at 3dBA intervals from 54dBA Leq up to 72dBA Leq are set out in Chapter 7 of the consultation document, "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East, Second Edition", published in February 2003, pages 56 and 57.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he would take to mitigate the effects of aircraft noise on residents living under or around the flight path if a third runway at Heathrow Airport was constructed. [144087]
Mr. McNulty: We asked for views on noise mitigation and compensation measures in Chapter 16 of the consultation document, "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East, Second Edition", published in February 2003, pages 144 to 149. Having considered the responses carefully, we will set out our conclusions in the White Paper to be published shortly.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the expected noise impact of a third runway at Heathrow Airport would breach the
15 Dec 2003 : Column 702W
limitations on noise set out in the package of measures imposed by the Inspector for the Terminal 5 Inquiry as a condition for construction of a fifth terminal. [144088]
Mr. McNulty: The planning conditions for construction of Terminal 5, which were imposed by my right hon. Friend the Member for Tyneside, North (Mr. Byers) included a restriction, to apply from 2016, on the area enclosed by the 57dBA Leq 16-hour (0700–2300) noise contour to 145 square kilometres. Information illustrating the likely noise impact of a third runway was set out in Chapter 7 of the consultation document, "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East, Second Edition", published in February 2003, page 56.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether aircraft using the proposed third runway at Heathrow Airport would be permitted to take off and land during the night. [144089]
Mr. McNulty: Restrictions on night movements at Heathrow will be decided in the light of periodic consultations on that issue.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department is taking to reduce the level of noise pollution caused by (a) aircraft flying into and out of Heathrow airport (b) surface access routes into and out of Heathrow airport; and whether these measures would be affected by a further runway. [144115]
Mr. McNulty: Noise from aircraft flying into and out of Heathrow airport is regulated by Notices made under section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. These include night restrictions, departure noise limits, noise preferential routes and approach procedures. Noise from surface access modes is treated essentially as for those sources on non-airport routes or journeys. The noise implications of a further runway at Heathrow were set out in the consultation on the "Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (South East)".
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total (a) area and (b) population affected by aircraft noise was within (i) 57 Leq Contour, (ii) 63 Leq Contour and (iii) 69 Leq Contour and above at (A) Gatwick, (B) Stansted and (C) City airports in each of the last five years. [144170]
Mr. McNulty: The information for Gatwick and Stansted airports is provided in the following tables. London City airport produces maps showing the 57dBA Leq contour and 60dBA Leq contour but the information is not available in the form requested.
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area (sq. kms) within: | |||||
| 57 Leq contour | 76.8 | 71.4 | 71.9 | 55.9 | 45.2 |
| 63 Leq contour | 28.2 | 26.4 | 26.4 | 19.6 | 15.8 |
| 69 Leq contour | 9.7 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 4.6 |
| Population (thousand) within: | |||||
| 57 Leq contour | 9.0 | 7.8 | 8.7 | 5.2 | 3.5 |
| 63 Leq contour | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 |
| 69 Leq contour | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
15 Dec 2003 : Column 703W
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area (sq. kms) within: | |||||
| 57 Leq contour | 64.5 | 52.3 | 52.4 | 32.1 | 31.7 |
| 63 Leq contour | 22.3 | 20.5 | 20.4 | 11.6 | 11.3 |
| 69 Leq contour | 8.7 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 3.6 | 3.4 |
| Population (thousand) within: | |||||
| 57 Leq contour | 7.6 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
| 63 Leq contour | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| 69 Leq contour | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |