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8 Dec 2005 : Column 1445W—continued
Work Force Skills
22. Chris Mole: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between the level of skills in the work force and economic growth. [35554]
John Healey: Skills are vital to the stability and growth of the economy. Increases in an economy's trend rate of growth depend on how many people are in employment and how productive they are. Skills are one of the drivers of productivity.
That is why the Government have more than doubled overall investment in education and training since 1997.
It is also why the Chancellor commissioned the Leitch Review of Skills, this independent review of the UK's skills needs, which published its interim report on Monday, set out the extent of current evidence on the relationship between work force skills and employment.
Job Creation
23. Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new jobs have been created since 1997. [35555]
John Healey:
Since 1997, there are 2.2 million more jobs in the UK. Over the last eight years, job numbers have grown by 330,000 a year; an average growth rate of 1 per cent. and, the number of jobs in the UK is now at a record high.
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Air Passenger Duty
John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of air passenger duty has been in each year since 1997 (a) in real terms, allowing for inflation and compared to the increase in gross domestic product, and (b) expressed as average amount per UK passenger. [35239]
John Healey: Reliable estimates of the value of each of the four APD rates for each scenario requested from 1997 are not available due to the restructuring of APD in 2001. However, estimates since 2001 are shown in the following table.
Information on the rates of air passenger duty is available at the UK Trade Info website at: www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=statindex
John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the increase in air passenger duty which would be required to maintain air fares at a constant level in real terms up to 2010 and (b) what increase in price this would contribute to average air fares. [35241]
John Healey: No estimate has been made of what APD would be necessary to maintain air fares constant in real terms until 2010. Likewise no estimate has been made into what proportion this would contribute to average air fares.
Information on the rates of air passenger duty is available at the UK Trade Info website at: www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=statindex
Companies Act Regulations
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he has drafted new regulations to replace the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005; [35007]
(2) if he will list the regulations which implement the operating and financial review for UK listed companies; [35010]
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(3) what new regulations he plans to issue on company reporting consequent on his planned abolition of the operating and financial review. [35011]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department of Trade and Industry is drafting regulations to amend the relevant sections of the Companies Act 1985, as originally amended by the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/1011). These will remove the statutory requirement for an OFR, leaving in place a requirement for all companies to prepare an enhanced business review in their directors' reports. The new regulations will reinforce the Government's commitment to improving strategic, forward-looking narrative reporting.
Comprehensive Spending Review
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Barnett formula will apply to the outcome of the 2007 comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement. [33777]
John Healey: The funding arrangements for the devolved Administrations are set out in the Statement of Funding Policy published in July 2004. The Government have no plans to replace the Barnett formula.
Construction Projects (Bank Accounts)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on introducing a requirement for all public sector contractors to establish project bank accounts for all construction projects coming on-stream; and if he will make a statement. [35479]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Government support fair payment practice within the construction industry. Clients within Government Departments must consider the most suitable approach to use on a case-by-case basis from the range of options open to them—including making use of project bank accounts.
It is important that clients are able to judge each case on its merits, as it is not at present considered appropriate to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to the use of project bank accounts, or for that matter any other single payment mechanism, for all construction procurement activity.
Debt
Ed Balls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many households in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Wakefield district and (c) Normanton constituency have a level of debt above (i) £10,000, (ii) £20,000, (iii)£50,000 and (iv) £100,000; [35407]
(2) how many women in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Wakefield district and (c) Normanton constituency have debts of over £10,000; and how many of these are under 30-years-old. [35408]
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, dated 8 December 2005:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions on the number of households and the number of women in West Yorkshire, Wakefield district and Normanton constituency that were more than £10,000 in debt (35407, 35408).
The only information available is national data on debt per person or per household. At the end of 2004 debt per person nationally was £25,135; and debt per household was £48,185.
Golden Rule
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to commission independent assessments of the golden rule. [35442]
Mr. Des Browne: Progress against the golden rule is measured by the average annual surplus on the current budget as a percentage of GDP over the economic cycle.
Based on cautious audited assumptions underpinning the public finance forecast the PBR 2005 shows that the Government is meeting the golden rule in the current economic cycle.
HMRC (Investigations)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to speed up the response of HM Revenue and Customs to investigations by the parliamentary ombudsman. [35517]
Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs generally respond to inquiries from the parliamentary ombudsman promptly within the time limit set by her office, usually three weeks. Where there are difficulties in meeting the time limit, it is normal practice that arrangements are made with the ombudsman's office to agree an extension.
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