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12 Jan 2004 : Column 515W—continued
TREASURY
Employment Statistics
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residents in each constituency were in work at (a) June 1997 and (b) the most recent date for which information is available. [146745]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Brian Wilson, dated 12 January 2004:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment levels in Parliamentary Constituencies. I am replying in his absence. (146745)
- The Office for National Statistics publishes employment rates but not levels from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for Parliamentary Constituencies. This information is available on a yearly basis, but not for calendar months. The latest available estimates are for the twelve month period ending February 2002. Estimates of employment rates by constituency can be obtained from the Nomis(r) database which is available in the House of Commons Library.
- As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
Child Trust Funds
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children are expected to benefit from child trust funds in Scotland in each of the next five years, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency. [144822]
Ruth Kelly: All eligible children born since 1 September 2002 in families awarded child benefit will receive a child trust fund (CTF). Projected birth figures by local authority and parliamentary constituency are not available, although figures for actual births and numbers receiving child benefit are available in the Library of the House. Birth projections for the whole of Scotland, produced by the Government Actuary's Department, are as shown in the following table.
| Birth projection (000s) | |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 52 |
| 2004 | 52 |
| 2005 | 51 |
| 2006 | 51 |
| 2007 | 51 |
Each of these children will be eligible for a child trust fund. Based on take-up of child benefit, it is estimated that virtually all children born will receive a CTF.
The CTF is intended to encourage parents and children to develop the savings habit. It will ensure that every child, whatever their family background, will have access at the age of 18 when they begin their adult life, to a stock of assets which they can invest in their future.
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It will also help children and their parents to understand the benefits of saving and investment and how to engage with financial institutions.
Departmental Relocation
Ms Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of re-location of staff to North Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement; [146866]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the effect of proposals to relocate Government jobs on the Department's ability to meet (a) departmental policy objectives and (b) departmental public service agreements; [146882]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the effect of possible relocation of staff in his Department to North Staffordshire on (a) job creation, (b) sustainable development, (c) the local economy and (d) tackling regional economic disparities; and if he will make a statement; [146895]
(4) what plans he has to establish procedures for assessing the impact of possible re-location of staff in his Department to the regions; and if he will make a statement. [146926]
Mr. Boateng: Sir Michael Lyon's Independent Review of Public Sector Relocation was established by the Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister to examine the scope for relocating public sector activity, to improve the delivery and efficiency of public services and to benefit regional economies.
Sir Michael's review will be informed by research from King Sturge on suitable alternative locations, and Experian Business Strategies on lessons from previous relocations, and the economic impact of relocation. Summaries of this research will be available shortly on the Treasury website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
Sir Michael's final report will be published in March 2004 and individual Departments will develop relocation proposals in light of his findings.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of staff employed within his Department are over 55 years of age; and what (a) number and (b) percentage of staff recruited over the last 12 months are over 55 years of age. [145924]
Ruth Kelly: 4.8 per cent. of staff employed by HM Treasury are over 55 years of age. A total of three (1 per cent.) staff recruited in the last 12 months (1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003) are over 55 years of age.
Euro
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many speeches during 2003 he declared support for the Government's policy on the euro. [147295]
Ruth Kelly: In June 2003 the Prime Minister and the Chancellor both said that the Government will campaign on a pro-Europe platform to make the case for Europe and the principled case for the euro.
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Since then the Chancellor and other Ministers, have held a variety of meetings to discuss the euro in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Independent Financial Advisers
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many independent financial advisers were regulated by the Financial Services Authority in each of the last three years. [147038]
Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority informs me that these figures are not available.
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the impact on independent financial advisers of compliance with Financial Services Authority requirements. [147039]
Ruth Kelly: Ministers and civil servants receive representations from a wide variety of members of the financial services community. As with previous Administrations, it is not this Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.
Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Financial Services Authority is obliged to consult publicly on all new regulatory requirements. The FSA has specific mechanisms in place to seek the views of consumers and practitioners, including small firms.
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) independent financial advisers and (b) the financial services sector of the costs of complying with Financial Services Authority requirements. [147040]
Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to
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carry out and publish for consultation cost-benefit analysis of new regulatory requirements. The Treasury does not conduct any additional assessment.
Public Sector Investment
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition he used for the term public sector investment in table B24 on page 237 of the pre-Budget report. [146347]
Mr. Boateng: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Prime Minister gave him on 5 January 2004, Official Report, column 58W.
School Funding
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Cabinet Office's strategy and delivery units on changes in the way money may be allocated to schools. [147147]
Mr. Boateng: The Chancellor has regular contact with the strategy and delivery units on a wide range of issues, including schools.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Adam Smith Institute
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department has commissioned from the Adam Smith Institute in the last five years; and how much each of these projects cost. [146938]
Hilary Benn: The information requested is in the following table. This does not include any lower value contracts, details of which are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All these contracts have been awarded in line with standard procurement practice.
(7) The two contracts indicated were issued under this enabling agreement.
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