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HIPC Process

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to assist those countries which are predicted to exit the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries process with unsustainable debt. [177419]

John Healey: The UK fully supports the cancellation of debt of the world's poorest countries through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. The UK was instrumental in securing international agreement to enhance the original Initiative in 1999, to ensure that as much debt relief as possible is granted to as many countries as possible. The UK continues to be a champion of the HIPC Initiative. We have provided commitments of £2.3 billion of debt relief to eligible countries and have pledged a total of US$474 million through multilateral institutions to support the Initiative further. The UK goes even further than is required under the Initiative, and is committed to providing 100 per cent. debt relief to eligible HIPC countries.

The HIPC Initiative is delivering real benefits to participating countries. It is providing over $70 billion of debt relief to the 27 counties which have reached Decision Point. It is helping increase annual social expenditure in countries receiving debt relief. Total social spending has increased by around $4 billion since 1999—equivalent to 2.7 per cent. of GDP. On average, health and education spending account for 65 per cent. of the use of HIPC debt relief.

However, there are countries forecast to exit the Initiative with debt-to-export ratios above the HIPC target of 150 per cent. because of factors beyond their control. The UK continues to push for additional relief to be granted to these countries at Completion Point
 
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("topping up" relief). We successfully campaigned for Niger and Ethiopia to receive such additional relief, resulting in over $800 million in additional relief for two of the world's poorest countries.

The UK also continues to lobby for a change in the topping up methodology to maximise the quantum of topping up relief. At present, the additional bilateral assistance (ABA) granted by some countries—including the G7—is included when calculating the amount of additional relief to be provided at Completion Point. We are pressing for this ABA to be excluded from this calculation, which could increase the quantum of debt relief delivered to HIPCs by around $1 billion.

We are also working closely with the IMF and World Bank as they finalise a new debt sustainability framework, which will govern all lending decisions for low-income countries, including those that have participated in HIPC. When operational, this framework will ensure that sufficient official finance is provided in the right blend of grants and highly concessional lending to aid future development without threatening long-term debt sustainability prospects.

However, all low-income countries will need additional aid to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is why the UK has proposed the International Finance Facility (IFF), which could provide the much-needed substantial increase in aid—in the form of grants, concessional loans, or further debt—needed to attain the MDGs without threatening the long-term debt sustainability of the world's poorest countries.

Income Tax (Pensioners)

Ms Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Stoke-on-Trent, North qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction. [177635]

Dawn Primarolo: All income tax payers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates that there are about 3,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02. Estimates should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale qualified for the 10 pence rate of income tax in each year since its introduction; and what percentage were (a) women and (b) of Asian origin. [178544]

Dawn Primarolo: All income tax payers benefit from the 10 pence starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) estimates that there are around 5,000 state retirement pension age tax payers in the Rochdale constituency in 2001–02. The sample size of pensioners living in the Rochdale constituency is relatively small compared to other constituencies so a reliable estimate cannot be given for 2000–01. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.
 
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The sample size of women pensioners living in the Rochdale consistuency is too small to provide a reliable estimate in any year. Information on ethnic origin is not available on the Survey of Personal Incomes.

Estimates should be treated with caution because of sampling variation.

Large Business Office

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) full and (b) part-time staff have been employed by the Large Business Office in each year since 1997. [174938]

Dawn Primarolo: Figures for 1999–2000 onwards are:

	Full-time	Part-time	Total
1999–2000	636	44	680
2000–01	675	44	719
2001–02	707	79	786
2002–03	742	92	834
2003–04	763	91	854

It may be possible to ascertain figures for earlier years, but these are not held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

National Insurance Contributions

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total gross national insurance contributions by (a) employers, (b) employees and (c) the self-employed as a proportion of GDP for 2007–08. [177883]

John Healey: Estimates are given in the table.

Group	Contribution classes	Gross NICs as a proportion of money GDP in 2007–08 (UK) (per cent.)
(a) employers	1 (secondary), 1A, 1B	4.5
(b) employees	1 (primary), 3	3.0
(c) self-employed	2,4	0.3
Total	All	7.7

Gross National Insurance contributions are estimated by Government Actuary's Department. Estimates of money GDP in 2007–08 are published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2004.

Population (UK)

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total projected population of the UK is for each of the next 10 years. [177909]

Ruth Kelly: The Government Actuary's latest national population projections, based on the estimated population at the middle of 2002, are available from the GAD website at: http://www.gad.gov.uk/Population/index.asp?v=Principal&y=2002&subYear=Continue

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums have been paid to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in each of the last five years. [177599]

 
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Ruth Kelly [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The Treasury does not keep central records of payments by Government to particular organisations. However, the Treasury itself has paid the following sums to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the following of the last five years:

£
1999–2000	210
2000–01	160
2003–04	890

Sefton

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on population levels in Sefton over the last 10 years. [177838]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Mrs. Curtis-Thomas, dated 10 June 2004:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question concerning the population levels in Sefton over the last 10 years. I am replying in his absence. (177838)

The total population for Sefton has decreased steadily from 292,400 in mid-1992 to 281, 700 in mid-2002. This represents a decrease of 3.4 per cent. Changes in population can be attributed to a combination of 'natural change' and 'migration and other changes'. In most years it is 'natural change' that is the most important factor for Sefton, with an excess of deaths over births. Over the 10 years as a whole, natural change accounted for 71 per cent. of the decrease. Figures for each year can be found in the attached table.

Mid-1992 to mid-2000 population estimates are interim revised population estimates. They are subject to revision.
Total population and population change for Sefton (1992 to 2002)

	Population at start	Natural change	Migration and other changes(4)	Population at end
1991–92	292,900	-100	-400	292,400
1992–93	292,400	-500	-300	291,600
1993–94	291,600	-700	-1,200	289,700
1994–95	289,700	-600	-900	288,300
1995–96	288,300	-700	-800	286,700
1996–97	286,700	-700	-0	285,900
1997–98	285,900	-700	-500	284,700
1998–99	284,700	-900	-0	283,800
1999–2000	283,800	-900	300	283,200
2000–01	283,200	-900	600	282,900
2001–02	282,900	-1000	-200	281,700

⁽⁴⁾ "Migration and other changes" encompasses net migration, Armed Forces, Foreign Armed Forces Dependents, School Boarders, Prisoners, Asylum Seekers and Visitor Switches, an adjustment to reconcile differences between Censuses and an adjustment for any possible boundary changes.
Note:
Figures may not add exactly due to rounding.
Source:
Office for National Statistics





 
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