| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
5 May 2004 : Column 1508W—continued
Pensions
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Exchequer would be under its proposed reform of pension taxation of imposing no lifetime saving allowance on pension savings in 2006–07 and each of the subsequent three years. [170235]
5 May 2004 : Column 1509W
Ruth Kelly: There would be a cost attached to having no lifetime allowance under the proposed simplified pension regime. The size of this cost depends upon behavioural effects and any estimate of cost would inevitably be very broad-brush. However, given the potential additional pension savings from those in the top 1 per cent. of the earnings distribution, the cost to the Exchequer could be up to several hundred million pounds over this period.
Public Spending
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects to meet his target of having achieved a modest surplus across the current economic cycle ending in fiscal year 2005–06. [171292]
Ruth Kelly: The UK public finances are underpinned by two fiscal rules: the sustainable investment rule and the golden rule. The golden rule states that over the economic cycle, the Government will borrow only to invest and not to fund current spending. Progress against the rule is measured by the average annual surplus on the current budget measured as a ratio to GDP over the economic cycle.
The average surplus on the current budget between 1999–2000, which is the Government's provisional judgment of the start of the current cycle, and 2005–06 when the Government project the economy will return to trend, as stated in the Budget 2004 (HC 301), table 2.6 page 34, is 0.1 per cent. of GDP. On this basis, the Government are on track to meet the golden rule.
Small Businesses (Shrewsbury)
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many small businesses re-registered for VAT in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997; [170636]
(2) how many new VAT registrations of small companies there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997. [170637]
John Healey: Statistics published by the Small Business Service for total VAT registrations for the Shrewsbury and Atcham area from 1997 are shown in the following table:
| New registrations | Total registrations(15) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 270 | 2,975 |
| 1998 | 270 | 3,015 |
| 1999 | 250 | 3,050 |
| 2000 | 270 | 3,070 |
| 2001 | 265 | 3,090 |
| 2002 | 290 | 3,130 |
| 2003 | n/a | 3,185 |
(15) Start of year.
However, total VAT registration data do not capture all business start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to register if they fall below the compulsory VAT registration threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. There were only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises registered for VAT at the start of 2002.
5 May 2004 : Column 1510W
Tourism (Wirral)
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in tourism-related jobs in Wirral, South on the latest date for which figures are available. [170304]
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. Ben Chapman, dated 5 May 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about tourism-related jobs in Wirral South. (170304)
The latest available data, from the 2002 Annual Business Inquiry, shows that the total number of jobs in tourism related industries in Wirral South was 2,100. 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.
Unemployment
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in each year since 1997 in Wirral, South. [170276]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Dennis Roberts to Ben Chapman, dated 5 May 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (170276)
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 Wirral South Constituency.
ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.
The table below gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Wirral South constituency for each year since 1997.
| Number of claimants | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 1,860 |
| 1998 | 1,433 |
| 1999 | 1,335 |
| 2000 | 1,229 |
| 2001 | 1,008 |
| 2002 | 923 |
| 2003 | 848 |
5 May 2004 : Column 1511W
Mr. Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the unemployment figures were in the constituency of Edmonton for (a) 1991–92, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2003. [169302]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mr. Andrew Love, dated 5 May 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (169302)
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 Edmonton Parliamentary Constituency.
ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.
The table below gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Edmonton constituency for the years 1991, 1992 and 2001 to 2003.
| Number of claimants | |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 4,118 |
| 1992 | 5,468 |
| 2001 | 2,284 |
| 2002 | 2,185 |
| 2003 | 2,301 |
TRANSPORT
Buses
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will allocate additional funds to local authorities to introduce free bus travel for (a) those of pensionable age and (b) those with disabilities; [169786]
(2) if he will allocate additional funds to local authorities to enable subsidised fares for (a) those of pensionable age and (b) those with disabilities to be made available at all times. [169787]
Mr. McNulty: We have no plans to allocate additional funds to local authorities to introduce free bus travel, or to extend subsidised fares, for pensioners and disabled people to all times.
The current statutory minimum requirement for concessionary travel in England introduced in 2001 ensures half fares for pensioners and disabled people on local buses for journeys made after 9.30 am. From April 2003, we extended concessionary travel schemes to men aged 60 to 64, bringing them into line with women of the same age. We provided funding to local authorities to cover the additional costs of implementing these initiatives. Local authorities may make more generous provision, including free travel on buses and trains, or for concessionary travel at all times, at their discretion in the light of their own financial priorities and local circumstances. Also, from May 2003, we have provided
5 May 2004 : Column 1512W
additional funding to enable half-fares to be made available on many scheduled long-distance coach services for people aged 60 years and over and for disabled people.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |