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5 Mar 2004 : Column 1225W—continued
Economic Activity
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the economic activity rate in the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2002–03. [157501]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mrs. Joan Humble, dated 5 March 2004:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the economic activity rate in the Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency. (157501)
- The table below shows the working age economic activity rates for the Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency, covering the twelve-month periods ending February 1997 and February 2002. Information for the twelve month ending February 2003 is not yet available.
| 12 month period ending February each year | per cent |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 71.8 |
| 2001–02 | 75.2 |
(26) Economic activity as a percentage of men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
As with any statistical sample survey, estimates for the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
EU Regulatory Burden
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from industry regarding the burden of regulation deriving from the EU; and if he will list the regulations in question. [158852]
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Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor received a number; of representations about the regulatory environment for business, including from business organisations such as the Institute of Directors and the British Chambers of Commerce. None of these representations named specific EU regulations, although a joint letter from the BCC, FSB, IoD, CBI and FPB welcomed the joint EU Presidency Initiative on Regulatory Reform, announced on 26 January.
The Government are considering carefully how best to implement the measures arising from the EU's Financial Services Action Plan (FSAP). Implementation of the FSAP needs to strike the right balance between not placing too great a burden on the financial services industry, whilst ensuring that consumers are adequately protected. The way to achieve this is through good consultation and cost benefit analysis and through adoption of the better regulation agenda generally.
Family Support
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will break down the projections for total support to families given in the 2003 pre-budget report for (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05 by (i) child benefit, (ii) child tax credit, broken down by (A) family element, (B) child element and (C) disability, (iii) childcare credit, (iv) statutory maternity pay, (v) maternity allowance, (vi) maternity expenses and (vii) other support. [158059]
Dawn Primarolo: The Pre Budget Report provided estimates of financial support for children through tax credits, Child Benefit and other benefits. The figures did not include expenditure on maternity related benefits. Information on expenditure on Child Benefit and other
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benefits for children is published in the Benefit Expenditure Tables on the Department of Work and Pensions' website at www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp.
Tax credit awards are based initially on a family's previous year income but the level of entitlement is determined by current year income. Estimates of expenditure on tax credits and on the components of tax credits are therefore subject to revision until awards are finalised after the end of the year. Updated estimates of expenditure on tax credits will be provided in the Budget.
Financial Services Authority
Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints the Financial Services Authority has investigated from small businesses regarding banks; and if he will make a statement. [158355]
Ruth Kelly: The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is responsible for dealing with complaints from small businesses regarding banks. In the current financial year to date (to end February 2004) the FOS has investigated 205 complaints from small businesses about banking products.
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London Population
Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size of the population in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough was in each of the last five years; and what projections have been made for the next five years. [158447]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger to Simon Hughes, dated 5 March 2004
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the size of the population of Greater London and each London borough for the last five years and the projected population for the next five years. I am replying in his absence. (158447)
- Attached is a table showing the mid-year population estimates for Greater London and each London borough from 1998 to 2002.
- There are currently no official subnational population projections consistent with this series. The last official long-term subnational population projections were 1996-based and did not take into account the 2001 Census and subsequent revisions to the mid year population estimates. The Office for National Statistics is currently working on 2002-based subnational population projections, which will be consistent with these mid year estimates and will be published in August 2004.
Source:
Office for National Statistics
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Ministerial Direction
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since 1 June 2003 he has been informed of a minister issuing a direction to an accounting officer as set out in paragraphs 14 to 17 of the Treasury document, The Responsibilities of an Accounting Officer; on what grounds each note was issued; and if he will make a statement. [158300]
Ruth Kelly: The Treasury has not been informed of any directions issued by Ministers to Accounting Officers under this guidance, since the reply I gave the hon. Member on 30 October 2003, Official Report, column 311W.
Recruitment
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by (a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department. [158179]
Ruth Kelly: The costs of recruiting staff fall largely to individual teams, and are charged to team budgets. Therefore information on the total cost of recruiting staff is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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