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15 Nov 2004 : Column 1210W—continued
Work-related Illness
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the economy of work-related illness in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [196244]
Jane Kennedy: The information is not available in the format requested. The latest available figures for England are for the year 1995/96 and are presented in the table.
However, more up-to-date information does exist for 2001–02 but for Great Britain only. Estimates of the costs to the GB economy of work related illness for 2001–02 are £7.6 billion to £11.6 billion in 2001–02 prices 1 . The statistical data that supported the analysis of the 2001–02 costs provided insufficient detail to yield regional cost breakdowns.
Interim update of the 'Costs to Britain of Workplace Accidents and Work-Related III Health' Health and Safety Executive 2004
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The costs in the table are extracted from: "The costs to Britain of workplace accidents and work-related ill health in 1995–96", Health and Safety Executive, 1999 ISBN 07176 1709 2.
The cost to the economy is defined as the sum of the following costs: loss of output, administration costs, recruitment costs, medical treatment, and investigation costs to HSE and local authorities. This information relates only to 1995–96 and is in 1995–96 prices.
Youth Unemployment
Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what change there has been in youth unemployment in the constituency of Bolsover since 1997. [197095]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Skinner, dated 15 November 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about youth unemployment in Bolsover. I am replying in his absence. (197095)
Between the twelve-month periods ending February 1997 and February 2003, the latest data for which information is available, the number of unemployed people aged 16–24 resident in the Bolsover Parliamentary Constituency fell from 2,000 to 1,000. The figures from the Labour Force Survey are rounded to the nearest thousand and are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for local areas including Parliamentary Constituencies. The number of people aged 18–24 resident in the Bolsover Parliamentary Constituency claiming Jobseeker's Allowance fell from 660 in May 1997 to 385 in September 2004. The data are not seasonally adjusted.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Contingency Planning
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what contingency plans have been produced for the evacuation of London following a terrorist attack. [195846]
Mr. Raynsford: A basic plan has been developed for the mass evacuation of any part of greater London. The plan is scalable and flexible and any response will depend on the nature of an event. It has been developed in conjunction with the relevant emergency services, local authorities, transport operators, and other organisations in London and the surrounding regions. Mass evacuation will be the last resort and is most unlikely to be required. In most circumstances the generic advice would be to go indoors and listen to the media for further advice. It would not be appropriate to disclose the operational details of emergency planning.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library contingency plans for evacuating London in the case of a major terrorist attack. [195855]
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Mr. Raynsford: I am unable to place the contingency plan for the evacuation of London in the Library as it contains confidential and sensitive operational details. It is standard policy that we do not place these types of plan in the Library.
Nottingham (Boundary Commission)
Mr. Allen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commissioner's proposals for Nottingham to be submitted to the Department. [197897]
Mr. Raynsford: The Boundary Commission for England will put their proposal for Nottingham to the Government as part of the report of the fifth general review. The Boundary Commission for England is required to submit its final report by 12 April 2007. It is a matter for the Commission when, within that time scale, they do so.
Affordable Homes
Tom Cox: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable homes have been built in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last five years by (a) Wandsworth council, (b) the Housing Corporation and (c) housing associations; and if he will make a statement. [196725]
Keith Hill: The numbers are of new build local authority and registered social landlord social dwellings for rent as reported in building control completions in Wandsworth are as follows:
| Number of dwellings for rent | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 76 |
| 2000–01 | 3 |
| 2001–02 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | 51 |
The figures exclude low cost home ownership schemes and acquisition of existing dwellings by registered social landlords.
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures are in place to assist key workers to obtain affordable housing in Gloucester; and what discussions he has had with (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations in Gloucestershire on this. [198257]
Keith Hill: Housing assistance for key workers within the South West region is available through the key worker Challenge Fund scheme identified by the South West Regional Housing Board. The £10 million scheme will provide affordable housing for rent or home ownership by key workers.
The Housing Corporation invited bids from housing associations for proposals to assist key public sector workers in the region in sectors experiencing recruitment and retention difficulties. No bid for Gloucester was successful, but within Gloucestershire £809,000 has been allocated to provide 24 units for key workers and in South Gloucestershire £716,000 has been provided for a
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further 27 dwellings. These dwellings are being provided by Gloucestershire Housing Partnership and Sovereign Housing Association.
Key workers may also benefit from other shared ownership and homebuy programmes funded by the Housing Corporation to help existing social tenants and those on waiting lists into home ownership.
Building Regulations (Fuel Conservation)
Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what studies he has made of the extent to which the minimum standards for the conservation of fuel and power required under the building regulations are adhered to. [197540]
Phil Hope: The current provisions for the conservation of fuel and power came into effect on 1 April 2002 and, in accordance with normal procedures, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has carried out tests on new dwellings, inspected applications received by a number of building control bodies for approval of proposed works covering all types of buildings, and interviewed contractors. The results are being taken into account in the further review announced in the Energy White Paper.
Census Data
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) when the Local Government Finance Settlement will include updated census data; [197039]
(2) if he will make a statement on the inclusion of updated census data in the Local Government Financial Settlement. [197040]
Mr. Raynsford: Government are working towards incorporating the 2001 Census data into the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2006–07.
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