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4 May 2004 : Column 1474W—continued
Thimerosal
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the link between Thimerosal in vaccines and autism. [163554]
Miss Melanie Johnson: As with all medicinal products, vaccine safety is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and its independent expert advisory body, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).
The only vaccines currently used in the routine childhood immunisation programme that contain thiomersal (also known as thimerosal) are the combined diphtheria/tetanus/wholecell pertussis/Haemophilus influenzae type B and the diphtheria/tetanus vaccines. Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine does not contain thiomersal.
The MHRA and CSM have thoroughly reviewed the safety of thiomersal-containing vaccines, including alleged links with autism, on a number of occasions. In 2001, CSM conducted a major review of the available evidence and has considered new data as it has emerged. Following a review of further studies in 2003, including two United Kingdom studies involving more than 100,000 children, CSM advice was placed on the MHRA website at http://medicines.mhra.gov.uk. Further studies from Denmark involving almost half a million children have also specifically investigated the
4 May 2004 : Column 1475W
suggested link between thiomersal-containing vaccines and autism. None of these studies found any evidence of a causal association.
On the basis of the available data, the advice of CSM remains that there is no evidence of harm from thiomersal contained in vaccines, with the exception of possible hypersensitivity reactions (typically skin rashes or local swelling at the site of injection). The CSM advises that the benefits of immunisation with such vaccines outweigh any potential risks of vaccination. This view concurs with that of the World Health Organisation.
TREASURY
Economic Inactivity
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many economically inactive adults of working age there are, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) reasons for economic inactivity. [168143]
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. David Willetts, dated 4 May 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about economic inactivity. I am replying in his absence. (168143)
I have arranged for the information requested to be placed in the House of Commons Library.
The data provided gives the estimates of the number of economically inactive people and the reasons for their inactivity for each Local Authority. The figures are the averages for the twelve months ending February 2004, the latest period for which information is available.
However, please note that a large number of local area estimates are not given because the sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
Employment Statistics (Preston)
Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the level of unemployment was in each year since 1997 in Preston; [169673]
(2) if he will make a statement on the levels of long-term (a) adult and (b) youth employment in Preston over the last seven years. [169665]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Mark Hendrick, dated 4 May 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about unemployment. (169665, 169673)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, the LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Preston Parliamentary Constituency.
ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.
The attached table gives the annual average number of people claiming JSA for over 12 months, and the annual average number of these claimants aged 18 to 24 years, in the Preston constituency, for each year since 1997. The table also shows the annual average total number of JSA claimants in the constituency for these years.
| Claimants for at least twelve months | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston parliamentary constituency, 1997–2003 | All claimants | All ages | Aged 18–24 |
| 1997 | 3,364 | 917 | 135 |
| 1998 | 2,826 | 478 | 67 |
| 1999 | 2,632 | 536 | 23 |
| 2000 | 2,375 | 475 | 8 |
| 2001 | 2,118 | 391 | 6 |
| 2002 | 2,056 | 315 | 8 |
| 2003 | 1,894 | 262 | 10 |
(33) Computerised claims only.
Source:
Office for National Statistics
Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the (a) change and (b) percentage change was in full-time permanent jobs in Preston from 1997 to 31 December 2003; [169675]
(2) how many new jobs have been created in Preston since 1997. [169676]
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. Mark Hendrick, dated 4 May 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about full-time jobs and jobs created in Preston. I am replying in his absence. (169675,169676)
While statistics of new jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes, in numbers of jobs, from year to year.
The attached table shows the information requested, relating to all jobs and full-time jobs in Preston for 1997 and 2002, which is the latest year available.
Information is not available about whether the jobs were permanent.
| Full-Time | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of employees | ||
| 1997 | 52,800 | 71,600 |
| 2002 | 60,200 | 83,600 |
| Change from 1997 to 2002 | ||
| Absolute | 7,300 | 12,000 |
| Percentage | 13.9 | 16.8 |
(34) Employee jobs only, not self-employed jobs.
Source:
1997; Annual Employment Survey, rescaled 2002; Annual Business Inquiry (ABI).
4 May 2004 : Column 1477W
Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in tourism-related jobs in Preston on the latest date for which figures are available. [169677]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Mark Hendrick, dated 4 May 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about tourism-related jobs in Preston. (169677)
The latest available data, from the 2002 Annual Business Inquiry, shows that the total number of jobs in tourism related industries in Preston was 5,500. This total is obtained by combining figures for those working in the following industries, as identified by Standard Industrial Classification 2003:
hotels
restaurants
bars
activities of travel agencies
library, archives museums etc
sporting activities
other recreational activities.
Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were in Preston in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003. [169682]
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. Mark Hendrick, dated 4 May 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about job vacancies in Preston. I am replying in his absence. (169682)
According to Jobcentre Plus administrative records the number of unfilled vacancies in the Preston travel-to-work area was 2558 on average during 1997. This represents only a proportion of all the vacancies available, as not all vacancies are notified to Jobcentres.
Jobcentre vacancy statistics were withdrawn from National Statistics in September 2001 as a result of distortions to the data, which occurred following the introduction of new administrative procedures by Jobcentre Plus. Comparable figures for vacancies in 2003 are therefore unavailable.
Results from the ONS Vacancy Survey were released as National Statistics from July 2003, but are not available for local areas.
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