---

30 Jun 2004 : Column 289W—continued

Population (Chorley)

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on projected changes in the population in Chorley constituency in the next 10 years. [180414]

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. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 30 June 2004:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the projected population of the Chorley constituency in the next 10 years. (180414)

ONS does not publish sub-national population projections for parliamentary constituencies, but does currently publish projections at is local authority level. Chorley is an unusual case in that the Parliamentary Constituency currently has the same boundaries as the Chorley borough council area. The projected population for Chorley borough council area for the next 10 years is given in the table below.

However, it should be noted that the last official long-term sub-national population projections were based on 1996 populations, and consequently do not take account of the 2001 Census and subsequent revisions to the mid year population estimates.

Long-term population projections⁽⁵⁾

Chorley local authority, 2004–14 2	(Thousand)
2004	97.7
2005	97.8
2006	97.9
2007	97.9
2008	98.0
2009	98.0
2010	98.0
2011	98.1
2012	98.1
2013	98.2
2014	98.2

⁽⁵⁾ Projections based on 1996 populations
⁽⁶⁾ Mid-year projections for each year shown

ONS are currently preparing 2002-based sub-national population projections and they are due to be published at the end of August 2004.

Retirement Age

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Trade and Industry on the mandatory retirement age. [181048]

Ruth Kelly: The Department of Trade and Industry have consulted widely on implementation of the EU Employment Directive (EC/2000/78) within the UK. The Government are considering the results of the consultation. The Treasury is contributing to these discussions.

Seafarers

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the compatibility with the EU state aid provisions of EU member states that have reduced national insurance contributions paid by employers of seafarers; and whether his Department plans to introduce a similar scheme in the UK. [181439]

 
30 Jun 2004 : Column 290W
 

Dawn Primarolo: No assessment of other member states' schemes has been made. A reduced rate of national insurance contributions for employers of seafarers would not be consistent with the principle of universality on which the national insurance system operates.

Stamp Duty

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of raising the stamp duty threshold on residential property from £60,000 to (a) £100,000, (b) £120,000 and (c) £150,000; and if he will make a statement. [181126]

Ruth Kelly: The estimated cost of raising the £60,000 stamp duty threshold on residential property, in 2004–05, to each of the levels indicated in the question, is given in the following table. These estimates make no allowance for behavioural changes.

Raised £60,000 residential threshold to:	Cost (£ million)
£100,000	210
£120,000	360
£150,000	570

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of abolishing residential property stamp duty for first time buyers. [181127]

Ruth Kelly: I regret that this information is not available.

Tax Credits

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest projections are of the cost of the child care credit in the next three years; and what estimate he has made of the change in costs arising from the changes to the arrangements announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May. [180986]

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 28 June 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke) on 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 866W. No estimate of the cost of the changes announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May 2004 will be made until the consultation period has ended.

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of families with equivalised income of less than 60 per cent. of median who will benefit from the extension of the child care tax credit to the provision of child care in the family home announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May. [180987]

Dawn Primarolo: No estimate of the number of families who could benefit from the proposed changes announced by the Minister for Children on 17 May 2004 will be made until the consultation period has ended.

Working Time Directive

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees in his Department have (a) signed a formal opt out from and (b) are exempt from the Working Time Directive; and how many employees in his Department have recorded hours, including any
 
30 Jun 2004 : Column 291W
 
accruing on a flexitime basis, in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive in the last month for which figures are available. [178370]

Ruth Kelly: Currently 18 staff in the Treasury have signed voluntary agreements to disapply the 48 hour limit. No staff are exempt from the Working Time Directive. Comprehensive records are not available to show how many staff have worked in excess of 48 hours per week. The regulations require that the 48 hour limit is measured over a 17 week period but a flexibility introduced in 1999 removed the requirement for employers to keep records of the hours worked by staff who voluntarily agree to disapply the limit. The Treasury remains committed to reducing the amount of excess hours worked.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bridleways

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for new bridleways in Lancashire. [180425]

Alun Michael: The Government are funding the Countryside Agency's Discovering Lost Ways project to research forgotten rights of way; this will lead to the discovery of many more bridleways all over the country. The Countryside Stewardship Scheme can also help to provide new permissive bridleways, including on land classified as open countryside under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act. In addition, local highway authorities are preparing rights of way improvement plans, which should improve the network for equestrians in their areas. The Pennine Bridleway southern section opened in May extending the route from Lancashire into Derbyshire.

Canoeists (Access)

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will clarify the meaning of the research note by the Countryside Agency enclosed in a letter to the hon. Member for Totnes dated 21 May stating that voluntary agreements enabling canoeists to have greater access to inland waters will require motivated access champions to persuade landowners to get involved in the process and canoeists to support agreements along with whatever conditions are necessary to meet local circumstances. [181368]

Alun Michael: The Countryside Agency Research Note summarised the findings of a study into the feasibility of improving access to inland waters for canoeing by voluntary agreement. Case studies were conducted on four rivers in England and involved extensive negotiation with landowners as well as national and local stakeholders. The study concluded that, for voluntary access agreements to succeed, a champion or group of champions was required who would take the lead in drawing together all of the interest groups and oversee the negotiation process and any resulting agreement. Without a motivated champion, it was considered unlikely that any sort of agreement would be reached. The champion might be a user, a local landowner or possibly a project officer supported by national or local government. The study
 
30 Jun 2004 : Column 292W
 
also concluded that a strategic framework should be developed to guide future investment and effort to extend access for canoeing.

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much the Countryside Agency paid Brighton University to undertake a study into existing practices for canoeists using inland waters; and if she will make a statement on the feasibility of formal voluntary agreements to increase access to inland waters for canoeists; [181370]

(2) what the cost was of the feasibility study undertaken by the Countryside Agency into increasing access to inland waters for canoeists. [181371]

Alun Michael: The feasibility study on improving access for canoeing on inland waterways by voluntary agreement was awarded to Brighton University following competitive tender. The total value of the research was £100,000. This included an examination of existing practice in the four pilot areas selected for the study. The research concludes that the voluntary approach can be made to work in certain circumstances and recommends completing agreements in the four pilot areas. As a first step I am arranging for a cost-benefit analysis to be carried out.

---