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16 Mar 2005 : Column 292W—continued
National Debt
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the national debt per head of population was in real terms in (a) 1996 and (b) 2004. [221924]
Mr. Timms: Figures for public sector net debt at current prices are available on the Office for National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/tsdtables1.asp?vlnk=fsf. Table 1.1A: Public Sector Finances (series RUTN) shows figures for public sector net debt in £ billion.
Figures for mid-year population estimates are also available on the Office for National Statistics website. Mid-1996 population estimates for the UK are available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8601.xls. The latest available population estimates for the UK are mid-2003, which are available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=12899.
GDP deflators, to convert nominal values into real terms, are available on the Treasury website at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/3DA/86/GDPdeflator 23122004.xls
Perinatal/Infant Mortality
Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) perinatal and (b) infant mortality rates were in each of the last 10 years. [222060]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tim Loughton, dated 16 March 2005:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) perinatal and (b) infant mortality rates were in each of the last ten years. (222060)
The most recent year for which infant mortality data are available is 2003. Data for 2003 are provisional. The information is shown in the table below.
(25) Data for 2003 are provisional.
Note:
Final figures for 2003 will be published in DH3, no. 36 on 31 March 2005.
Source:
1994–2002: Series DH3 'Mortality statistics: Childhood, infant and perinatal' no. 35, table 12003.
Redundancy Payments
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to raise the threshold at which tax is paid on redundancy payments. [221414]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government keep the £30,000 tax exemption for redundancy payments under review along with all other aspects of the tax system.
Women with Disabilities
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many women with disabilities were in employment in the UK on the latest date for which figures are available. [221604]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Keith Vaz, dated 16 March 2005:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about women with disabilities in employment in the UK. (221604)
It is estimated that, for the three-month period ending in November 2004, there were 1,625,000 women with disabilities in employment in the United Kingdom.
The definition of 'disabled' includes those who have a current disability covered by the Disability Discrimination Act, or a work-limiting disability, or both.
This estimate from the Labour Force Survey is, as with any statistical sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
Youth Unemployment
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of youth unemployment in Tamworth was in 2004. [221930]
Mr. Timms:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
16 Mar 2005 : Column 294W
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Brian Jenkins, dated 16 March 2005:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about youth unemployment in Tamworth. (221930)
It is estimated that, for the twelve-month period ending in February 2004, the latest period for which information is available, there were 2,000 unemployed people aged 16–24 resident in the Tamworth Parliamentary Constituency. This estimate from the Labour Force Survey is, 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. In the year 2004, there were, on average, 290 young people aged 18 to 24 years claiming Jobseeker's Allowance who were resident in the Tamworth Parliamentary Constituency.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Child Support Agency
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Vale of York, of 7 February 2005, Official Report, column 1346W, on Child Support Agency, what the (a) median and (b) mean time taken to process a case of (i) maintenance calculation and (ii) first payment was in the last period for which figures are available; and what proportion of new cases over (A) six months and (B) a year old have (1) yet to receive a maintenance calculation and (2) made a first payment. [220598]
Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 16 March 2005:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Vale of York of 7th February Official Report column 1346W on Child Support Agency what the (a) median and (b) mean time taken to process a case of (i) maintenance calculation and (ii) first payment was in the last period for which figures are available; and what proportion of new cases over (A) six months and (B) a year old have (1) yet to receive a maintenance calculation and (2) made a first payment.
The information you seek is not currently available with any level of accuracy. The Agency is currently progressively improving its management information systems. This will lead to a position, during the early summer, where it will be possible to extract this information from our systems. I have therefore noted your request and will provide the information to you when it is available.
Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the Child Support Agency to impose a penalty on absent parents who fail to disclose their income and employee details. [220845]
Mr. Pond:
A non-resident parent is required to provide the Child Support Agency with a range of information including their income and employment details in order for a maintenance calculation to be made.
16 Mar 2005 : Column 295W
Since January 2001 it has been a criminal offence if a person fails to provide information to the Child Support Agency when required to do so, or knowingly provides false information. This offence carries a fine of up to £1,000 on conviction by a court.
We have no plans to introduce further penalties in such circumstances.
Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will give the Child Support Agency (CSA) powers to make it mandatory for absent parents to instruct the CSA of their new employee details when they change employment. [220860]
Mr. Pond: We have no plans to make it mandatory for non resident parents to notify the Child Support Agency when they change their employment.
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