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15 Nov 2005 : Column 1216W—continued
UK Competitiveness
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received regarding (a) productivity levels, (b) business investment and (c) United Kingdom competitiveness. [28949]
John Healey: The Chancellor of Exchequer receives representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals. These cover a range of issues, including UK productivity and competitiveness, and business investment.
Unemployment
David Mundell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of people in Scotland receive unemployment benefit. [28450]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Mundell dated, 15 November 2005:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question regarding the number and percentage of people who were receiving unemployment benefit in Scotland. I am replying in her absence. (28450)
The latest available statistics for September 2005 show that, on a seasonally adjusted basis, there were 85,700 people resident in Scotland who were claiming the Jobseeker's Allowance. This represented 2.7 per cent. of the working age resident population of Scotland.
Paul Rowen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the working-age population was unemployed in each ward in Rochdale constituency in each year since 1997. [28935]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Paul Rowen, dated 15 November 2005:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. I am replying in her absence. (28935)
The Office for National Statistics compiles statistics of employment from the Labour Force Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, estimates of employment are not available for wards as the survey sample size for such areas is too small.
Table 1 shows the 2001 Census figures for numbers of persons of working age in employment, and those in employment as a percentage of the total resident working age population, for the wards of the Rochdale constituency.
The data are published in the Labour Market profiles for wards on the Office for National Statistics's Nomis website: www.nomisweb.co.uk.
(30) Census Area Statistics Wards
Source:
2001 Census
Mr. Anthony Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of youth unemployment has been in Great Yarmouth in each of the last five years. [28042]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Anthony Wright, dated 15 November 2005:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about youth unemployment. (28042)
Table 1 shows the total numbers of unemployed young people aged 16 to 24 who were resident in the Great Yarmouth Parliamentary Constituency. The table covers the 12 month periods ending in February each year from 2001 to 2004 and the 12 month period ending in March 2005. These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 2 shows the annual average number of JSA claimants, aged 18 to 24, resident in the Great Yarmouth constituency for 2000 to 2004.
The data are published on the Office for National Statistics's Nomis(r) website: www.nomisweb.co.uk.
* Estimate not available, sample size less than three could be disclosive.
Note:
The estimates for local areas are based on very small sample sizes and are subject to a very high degree of sampling variability.
Changes from year to year, especially, should be treated with caution.
Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey
15 Nov 2005 : Column 1218W
| Annual averages | Great Yarmouth |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 800 |
| 2001 | 675 |
| 2002 | 635 |
| 2003 | 630 |
| 2004 | 680 |
Notes:
1. Computerised claims only.
2. Data rounded to nearest five for disclosure control.
Source:
Jobcentre Plus Administrative system
Unmarried Couples (Capital Gains Tax)
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether an unmarried couple who each own a home would incur a capital gains tax disadvantage by marrying. [28625]
Dawn Primarolo: A married couple may have only one home that qualifies for private residence relief regardless of the number of properties they own. Whether an unmarried couple would have a capital gains tax disadvantage if they married would depend on their particular circumstances.
VAT (Football Match Admission)
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to remove VAT from the price of admission for children attending football matches; and if he will make a statement. [28989]
Dawn Primarolo: Under our agreements with our European partners, we are not able to extend our existing VAT zero rates or introduce any new ones.
Vehicle Sales Tax
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been raised from vehicle sales tax in each year since 1997–98 (a) in total and (b) broken down by vehicle type; and what estimates have been made of likely revenue in future years. [27567]
John Healey: The UK does not impose a vehicle sales tax.
Ministerial Travel
Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much it cost (a) him and (b) officials from his Department to fly to and from Israel on 8 November. [28252]
(2) what the flight arrangements were for his visit to Israel on 8 November; [28253]
(3) how many Government officials accompanied him on his visit to Israel on 8 November. [28254]
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Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the additional cost of (a) his and (b) his officials' early return from Israel to permit him to vote in the proceedings in the Terrorism Bill. [28111]
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cost was of amending his travel arrangements and returning from Israel in order to vote in the House on 9 November; and if he will make a statement. [28566]
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of rearranging his flight from Israel on 9 November, and whether the cost was met by public funds. [28886]
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was to his Department of his early return to the United Kingdom from Israel on 9 November. [28907]
15 Nov 2005 : Column 1220W
John Healey [holding answer 14 November 2005]: Paragraph 10.11 of the Ministerial Code states:
if a Minister is abroad with permission and is called home for ministerial or parliamentary reasons—including to vote—the cost of the extra journey back and forth may be met by public funds".
It cost a total of £1,518 for the Chancellor to fly back to the UK from Israel and to return to Israel on 9 November. The Chancellor was accompanied by two Treasury officials.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether hon. Members other than the Chancellor returned to London from overseas for parliamentary votes on 9 November at his Department's expense. [29509]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 November. No other Members returned at the Treasury's expense.