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10 Oct 2005 : Column 272W—continued
Water Service (Overpayment)
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action will be taken by the WaterService to recover the overpayment made to a contractor for laying a pipe. [16142]
Mr. Woodward:
The Chief Executive of Water Service, Mrs. Katharine Bryan has written to the hon. Gentleman.
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Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 4 August 2005:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what action will be taken by the Water Service to recover the overpayment made to a contractor for laying a pipe (16142). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
I am assuming that your question refers to the investigation of suspected fraud in Water Service raised in the Northern Ireland Audit Office Report Departmental Responses to Recommendations in NIAO Reports" published on 19 July 2005. This publication included a progress report on the recovery of an overpayment from a Water Service contractor.
Civil proceedings were initiated in 2003 and the matter is sub judice. However, I can assure you that Water Service continues to make every effort to progress the recovery of the monies overpaid.
TREASURY
London Olympics
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs which will be created in London as a result of hosting the 2012 London Olympics. [15569]
Tessa Jowell: I have been asked to reply.
We know from the experience of past host cities that the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games can deliver thousands of jobs.
The socio-economic Assessment produced to support the Olympic and Olympic legacy planning applications concluded that after the Games, the Olympic Park area alone will accommodate 11,270 permanent jobs as a direct result of the Games.
For the construction of the Olympic Park, venues and legacy facilities, the assessment estimated that 7,000 full-time equivalent construction jobs will be created.
These estimates do not take into account the other jobs that will be created as a result of the Games in sectors such as tourism, hospitality and food across the rest of London and the UK.
In addition, up to 70,000 volunteers and an estimated 3,500 operation staff will be needed to deliver the Games.
7 July Bombings
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to London's economy of the bombings on 7 July; and if he will make a statement. [15117]
John Healey:
It is not possible at present to make a firm estimate of the cost to London's and the United Kingdom's economy of the bombings on 7 July. The separation of the impact of the bombing from other variations in the London economy is complex. Furthermore, much of the economic data for the period following the bombing is not yet available.
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Automatic Banking Machine
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has received from banks about fees for automatic banking machines; and if he will make a statement; [16284]
(2) if he will take steps to abolish fees on automatic banking machines. [16285]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Treasury officials regularly discuss issues relating to cash machine charges with members of the banking and financial services industry and other stakeholders. Cash machine charges have also been raised in meetings between Ministers and members of the banking and financial services industry.
The Government believe that people, particularly those on low incomes, should be able to access their cash free of charge. There are over 30,000 free cash machines in the UK. Over 96 per cent. of ATM withdrawals are made at such machines. Other options for obtaining free access to cash include 'cash back' and, for many account holders, free over-the-counter withdrawals at the Post Office.
The Government's response to the Treasury Committee's recent report on Cash Machine Charges (the Treasury Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2004–05) was published by the Treasury Committee on 19 July 2005. The response sets out Government policy on the matter in more detail. Like the Treasury Committee, we see charging cash machines as being a legitimate business model. The majority have been introduced recently in locations where previously there was no cash machine and where there would not be a sufficiently high number of transactions to support a free ATM. The Government does not believe there is evidence to suggest that free ATMs are under threat from charging machines as the number of free ATMs in the UK is still increasing. However, if evidence were found of a significant reduction in the number of free ATMs, then the Government would be concerned.
Mrs. James: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what discussions he has had with the banking and the financial services industry about cash machine charges; and if he will make a statement; [15923]
(2) what representations he has received about cash machine charges. [15924]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
Treasury officials regularly discuss issues relating to cash machine charges with members of the banking and financial services industry and other stakeholders. Cash machine charges have also been raised in meetings between Ministers and members of the banking and financial services industry. The Government's response to the Treasury Committee's recent report on Cash Machine Charges (the Treasury Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2004–05) was published by the Treasury Committee on 19 July 2005. The response details Government policy on the matter.
10 Oct 2005 : Column 275W
Birth Numbers
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the percentage change in the number of births in each strategic health authority area in London has been over the last five years. [15595]
John Healey:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
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Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Pelling, dated 10 October 2005:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the percentage change in the number of births in each Strategic Health Authority area in London over the last five years. (15595)
The figures shown in the table below reflect the current boundaries for Strategic Health Authorities which came into force on 1 April 2002.
Note:
The percentage change from 1999 to 2004 is calculated as the difference in the numbers of births in 1999 and in 2004 as a proportion of all births in 1999.
Source:
ONS
Budget Document Cost
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of producing the summary leaflet Budget 2005, Investing in Our Future: Fairness and Opportunity of Britain's Hard-working Families; how much of the cost was accounted for by (a) printing and design, (b) copywriting and (c) distribution; how many copies were produced; how many were circulated unsolicited; and to whom. [15531]
John Healey: The total cost of producing the 2005 Budget summary leaflet was around £136,000. The printing cost was around £51,000 and the distribution cost was around £85,000. All costs were met from within the Treasury's departmental expenditure limits. There is no specific cost associated with writing the leaflet as it was created alongside the 2005 Budget Red Book.
The summary leaflet is designed to provide a concise and informative summary of the Budget. It is aimed at a wide audience, and so is distributed to various public organisations such as GPs' surgeries, libraries, post offices, schools and universities. Approximately 1.2 million leaflets were distributed in Budget 2005.
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