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21 Feb 2005 : Column 65W—continued
TREASURY
Cancer Statistics
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of deaths were due to cancer in the (a) North East, (b) South East, (c) North and (d) South in the last year for which figures are available. [215891]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibilities of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Dr. Ashok Kumar, dated 16 February 2005:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of deaths are due to cancer in the (a) North East, (b) South East, (c) North and (d) South. I am replying in his absence. (215891)
Figures are provided in the table below for the North East and South East Government Office Regions for 2003, the latest year for which data are available. As the Office for National Statistics does not have a geographic classification of administrative areas into 'North' and 'South', results are also provided for other Government Office Regions and Wales.
(7)The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The codes used are listed below:
Cancer (malignant neoplasms)—ICD-10 COO-C97"
(8)Usual residents of these areas.
(9)Deaths occurring in 2003.
Child Trust Fund Accounts
Mr. Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Inland Revenue to complete the necessary procedures to allow credit unions to accept child trust fund accounts. [216097]
Mr. Timms: Credit unions have an important part to play in tackling financial exclusion within the communities they serve. The Government is keen to accommodate the special nature of credit unions within the Child Trust Fund where possible. They are already able to make available a CTF stakeholder account to their customers where they have the FSA permissions to do so. However there are a number of issues to be resolved before credit unions can offer cash deposit accounts. Discussions have taken place between credit unions, the Treasury, the FSA and the Inland Revenue and work is being taken forward.
The Child Trust Fund is intended to encourage parents and children to develop the savings habit. It will ensure that every child born since 1 September, whatever their family background, will have access to a stock of assets from the age of 18, so they can invest in their future.
It will also help children and their parents to understand the benefits of savings and investment and how to engage with financial institutions.
Credit Unions
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1)whether existing credit unions will be included for support under the Social Fund loan scheme referred to in the report on Promoting Financial Inclusion; [215676]
(2) how the Social Fund loan scheme monies referred to in the report on Promoting Financial Inclusion will be apportioned; and which institutions will qualify for inclusion. [215677]
Mr. Timms:
'Promoting financial inclusion' announced a series of measures to increase the availability of affordable credit to those on the lowest incomes. These measures include the next steps in the reform of the Social Fund. The Government will abolish the 'double debt' rule for Budgeting Loans eligibility and will lower the highest loan repayment rates. These
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reforms will be implemented in April 2006 and amount to an increase in funding for the Social Fund loans scheme of £210 million over the three years to 2008–09.
'Promoting financial inclusion' also announced thatthe Government are considering arrangements whereby, in certain circumstances, private and third sector lenders—including existing credit unions—could apply for repayment to be made by deduction from benefit where normal repayment arrangements have broken down. The aim of this scheme would be to reduce some of the increased costs and risks of lending to vulnerable groups. The Government have been seeking responses from private and third sector lenders, on this scheme. However no final decisions have been made as to whether and how the scheme will operate.
Subject to any necessary state aids clearance from the European Commission, the Government will also set up a growth fund for third sector lenders from within the Financial Inclusion Fund. This growth fund will be available to credit unions and community development finance institutions to boost the coverage, capacity and sustainability of the sector in providing a source of affordable credit for the financially excluded.
Defence Contractors
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Aldershot of 13 January 2005, Official Report, column 595W, on defence contractors, which (a) military units and (b) defence contractors he personally visited in 2004. [211453]
Mr. Gordon Brown [holding answer 27 January 2005]: I regularly hold defence-related meetings including meeting regularly with defence employers and with senior military personnel such as the Chiefs of Staff and their colleagues.
Departmental Policies
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out (a) with statistical information relating as closely as possible to Chorley constituency and (b) the effect of his actions and policies on Chorley since 1997. [216307]
Mr. Timms: The Government have put in place a broad programme of both macroeconomic and microeconomic reform since our election in 1997 designed to better the economic performance of all parts of the UK. Since these policies were implemented, the economic performance of the Chorley constituency has improved considerably. For example, since May 1997, claimant unemployment has fallen by 56 per cent. while long-term unemployment and long-term youth unemployment have both fallen by 89 per cent.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.
Mr. Sedgemore:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Haltemprice and
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Howden constituency, the effects on Haltemprice and Howden of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [216013]
Mr. Timms: The Government have put in place a broad programme of both macroeconomic and microeconomic reform since our election in 1997 designed to better the economic performance of all parts of the UK. Since these policies were implemented, the economic performance of the Haltemprice and Howden constituency has improved considerably. For example, since May 1997, claimant unemployment has fallen by 51 per cent., long-term unemployment has fallen by 70 per cent. and long-term youth unemployment has fallen by 83 per cent.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.
Mr. Sedgemore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Maidenhead constituency, the effects on Maidenhead of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [216030]
Mr. Timms: The Government have put in place a broad programme of both macroeconomic and microeconomic reform since our election in 1997 designed to better the economic performance of all parts of the UK. Since these policies were implemented, the economic performance of the Maidenhead constituency has improved considerably. For example, since May 1997, claimant unemployment has fallen by 30.5 per cent., long-term unemployment has fallen by 58 per cent. and youth unemployment has remained unchanged albeit at only 30 individuals.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neiqhbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in each ward of Stockton, South are (a) employed and (b) unemployed; and what the figures were in 1997. [215308]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Ms Dari Taylor, dated 16 February 2005:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment and unemployment in each ward of Stockton South Parliamentary Constituency. I am replying in his absence. (215308)
Regular statistics of employment and unemployment are compiled from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) on the basis of standard international definitions. For individual wards the LFS sample sizes are too small to provide estimates, but information is available from the 1991 and 2001 Population Censuses. Table 1 overleaf shows the information requested from these sources.
The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics by ward of residence for people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 2 overleaf gives the annual average number of JSA
- claimants resident in each of the wards of Stockton South Parliamentary Constituency for the years 1997 and 2004.
(10)These wards were located within Stockton South parliamentary constituency (PC) in 1991 but moved to Middlesbrough PC in 2001.
(11)Figure not shown as ward was not in Stockton South PCA in relevant year, due to boundary changes.
(12)Elm Tree ward was located within Stockton North PC in 1991 but moved to Stockton South PC in 2001.
Source:
1991 and 2001 Censuses of Population
(13)Based on 1991 frozen wards.
Source:
Jobcentre Plus Administrative system.
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