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17 Nov 2004 : Column 1508W—continued
Foreign Debt
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which countries have had 100 per cent. of debt to the UK written off. [198408]
Mr. Timms: The UK is committed to provide 100 per cent. debt relief for all 42 HIPCs to support a sustainable exit from debt. This is done by writing off or holding in trust their debts. Under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative, at Completion Point the UK offers 100 per cent. stock relief on all bilateral debt owed by eligible HIPCs. 15 countries have reached Completion Point, receiving a total debt write-off of £989 million from the UK. A further 12 have reached Decision Point and will receive 100 per cent. flow relief until such time as they reach Completion Point.
The UK's hold-in-trust policy means that any debt service payments received from indebted countries yet to enter the Initiative will be returned to the countries once they reach Decision Point. The UK will not benefit financially from their payments.
Details of debt forgiveness by the UK through the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) can be found at: http://www.ecgd.gov.uk/index/susdev_home/susdev_debt.htm
Iraq
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's most recent estimate is of the cost of the British occupation of Iraq in each month since the start of the conflict, broken down by (a) military and (b) reconstruction costs. [197247]
Harry Cohen:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much of the £3.8 billion in special reserve to cover the cost of operations in Iraq has been spent to date; when he expects it to be fully expended; what plans he has to increase the sum; for what period he plans to allocate further funds; whether it will be maintained and accounted for under budget heads which will enable the extra costs incurred to be clearly discernible; and if he will make a statement; [197618]
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(2) what the (a) total cost to date and (b) cost in each year since the start of the war to the Exchequer has been of the war and subsequent activity in Iraq, separately identifying costs which would have been expended on other purposes but have been redirected to purposes in connection with Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [197620]
Mr. Boateng: In Budget 2003 the Chancellor set aside £3 billion as a Special Reserve to cover the cost of operations in Iraq. £1 billion was drawn down by the Ministry of Defence in the Spring Supplementary Estimate for 2002–03.
The remaining £2 billion of this Special Reserve was carried forward to 2003–04. The Ministry of Defence drew down £1,539 million in the 2003–04 Winter and Spring Supplementary Estimates.
In the PBR 2003 the Chancellor announced a further £500 million for the Special Reserve in the financial year 2003–04 and a further £300 million for 2004–05 as a prudent allowance to cover Iraq and our continuing international commitment to the war on terrorism.
At the Madrid Donors' Conference in October 2003, the Government announced a total UK pledge of £544 million towards the reconstruction effort in Iraq up to March 2006.
Job Creation (Stroud)
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs have been created in the Stroud constituency since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001. [198499]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Drew, dated 17 November 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about jobs created in Stroud. (198499)
While statistics of new jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes in numbers of jobs from year to year.
| Number of employee jobs | Total |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 33,700 |
| 2001 | 34,400 |
| Change from 1997 to 2001(16) | 700 |
(15) Excludes self-employed jobs.
(16) The 1997 to 2001 change has been rounded to the nearest hundred separately from rounded levels for 1997 and 2001.
Source:
1997; Annual Employment Survey, rescaled 2001; Annual Business Inquiry (ABI)
Manufacturing
Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs have been lost in the manufacturing sector in each component part of the UK in each month since the beginning of 2001. [198984]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Adam Price, dated 17 November 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about numbers of jobs in the manufacturing sector in each component part of the UK. (198984)
While statistics of jobs lost are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes, in numbers of jobs.
The attached table shows quarterly changes in manufacturing jobs, between March 2001 and June 2004, for each country within the UK. Similar figures showing monthly changes are not available.
(17) Excludes self-employed jobs.
(18) The 2001 to 2004 change has been rounded to the nearest thousand separately from rounded levels.
Source:
Employee jobs.
17 Nov 2004 : Column 1511W
National Debt
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the United Kingdom's national debt was (a) in total and (b) per capita in (i) 1996 and (ii) 2003; [198392]
(2) how much was spent on interest payments for the national debt in (a) 1996 and (b) 2003 (i) in total amount and (ii) per capita. [198393]
Mr. Timms: Figures for public sector net debt and central government debt interest payments in current prices are available on the Office for National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/tsdtables1.asp?vlnk=fsf
Table 1.1 A: Public Sector Finances (series RUTN and RUTO) shows figures for public sector net debt in £ billion and as a percentage of GDP. Table 1.1C: Central Government (series NMFX) shows debt interest payments in £ billions.
Figures for mid-year population estimates are also available on the Office for National Statistics website: Mid-1996 population estimates are available on http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8588.xls Mid-2003 population estimates are available on http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8548.xls
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