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17 May 2004 : Column 743W—continued

Departmental Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the production of his Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge. [171143]

Ruth Kelly: Publication of HM Treasury's Departmental Report (Cm 6222) was handled by the Stationery Office Ltd. (TSO). Printing and other production costs were paid for by TSO as the publisher and the document was designed in-house by members of the Treasury's publishing unit. TSO have printed 740 copies of the report with 200 copies purchased by the Treasury for internal purposes, 203 copies supplied to Parliament and, to date, an additional 131 copies have been sold by TSO.

Financial Services Authority

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many regulatory impact assessments have been (a) conducted and (b) published by the Financial Services Authority in each of the last five years; and what percentage of new regulatory measures this represents. [172903]

Ruth Kelly: The matters raised in this question are the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), whose day-to-day operations are independent from government control and influence. The following figures have been provided by the FSA. They are for the number of cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) conducted and published by the FSA over the past five years. The proportion of new measures these represent is given in brackets. In 2003, 42 (93 per cent.); 2002, 41 (93 per cent.); 2001, 27 (71 per cent.); 2000, 29 (71); and in 1999, 8 (42 per cent. ).

Fuel Tax

Mr. Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will abandon the implementation of fuel tax increases in September; and if he will make a statement. [173060]

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget Statement of 17 March 2004, Official Report, column 329.

Gershon Review

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with Sir Peter Gershon regarding the total savings in public sector employment within the Department for Trade and Industry as a result of his efficiency review. [173375]

Mr. Boateng: Treasury Ministers meet frequently with Department for Trade and Industry Ministers who are working closely with Sir Peter Gershon to identify efficiencies within the Department. These will release further resources for frontline public services.

Gold Reserves

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of the gold held in UK reserves was at the afternoon fix on 11 May. [173350]


 
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Ruth Kelly: At the afternoon fix on 11 May 2004 the   value of the gold held in the UK reserves was approximately $3,775 million.

Housing

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average build cost of a new home in the (a) social housing sector and (b) private housing sector in the last year for which figures are available. [172875]

Keith Hill: I have been asked to reply.

The average cost of a new build dwelling for social rent in England, in 2003/04, is £116,000. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not keep comparable information for the private sector.

Income Tax

Mr. Wareing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Liverpool, West Derby constituency qualified for the 10 pence rate of income tax in each year since its introduction. [173674]

Dawn Primarolo: A reliable answer cannot be given. This is because the sample size of pensioners living in the Liverpool West Derby constituency is relatively small compared to other constituencies in the Survey of Personal Incomes.

Inheritance Tax

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates was lost to the public purse as a result of the exemption from inheritance tax of the estate of the late Queen Mother. [171538]

Mr. Gordon Brown [holding answer 10 May 2004]: Further to my answer of 13 May 2002, Official Report, column 437W, the amounts involved in the estate of any taxpayer are subject to the Inland Revenue's normal rules of confidentiality.

International Aid

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effects of providing resources for the world's poorest countries (a) through the International Finance Facility and (b) through direct aid. [173059]

John Healey: Since this Government came to power, UK official development assistance has increased by 97 per cent. in real terms, and our aid ratio as a proportion of national income is set to reach 0.4 per cent. in 2005–06. But it has been estimated that the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals will require an extra US$50 billion more in aid every year until 2015. That is why the UK has proposed the IFF to deliver the funds that are needed now, when they will have the most impact on reducing poverty. The IFF would raise the significant additional resources necessary to make progress on meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
 
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The IFF would not be a new disbursement agency but a facility designed to deliver additional funds for development that would then be delivered through existing mechanisms, both through bilateral assistance and multilateral organisations.

Job Vacancies

Mr.Wareing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were in Liverpool, West Derby constituency in (a) 1989, (b) 1997 and (c) 2003. [173673]

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. Wareing dated 17 May 2004:

Mr. Benton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many new jobs have been created in Bootle since 1997; [173146]

(2) what the (a) change and (b) percentage change was in full-time permanent jobs in Bootle from 1997 to 31 December 2003. [173147]

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. Benton dated 17 May 2004:


 
17 May 2004 : Column 746W
 

Number of full-time employees and total number of employees(18) in Bootle Parliamentary Constituency: 1997 and 2002
Percentage

Full-TimeTotal
Number of employees
199722,20029,666
200228,19639,017
Change from 1997 to 2002
Absolute5,9969,351
Percentage27.031 .5


(18) Employee jobs only, not self-employed jobs
Source:
1997; Annual Employment Survey, rescaled 2002; Annual Business Inquiry (ABI)




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