Previous Section Index Home Page

23 Jan 2006 : Column 1730W—continued

Bars and London NHS Trust

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings officials from his Department have had with representatives of the Barts and the London NHS Trust; when such meetings took place; what discussions took place at such meetings; and if he will make a statement. [43457]

Mr. Des Browne: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals as part of the process of policy development and analysis. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Business Rates

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amendments have been made to (a) regulations, (b) primary legislation and (c) legislation relating tothe levying of business rates on domestic properties used in whole or part of business purposes since May 1997. [42836]

Mr. Woolas: I have been asked to reply.

None of the provisions in primary legislation or regulations which relate specifically to the rating of properties which are used for both domestic and non-domestic purposes has been amended since 1997.

Charities

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will takes steps to ensure that (a) documentary evidence is provided to support the allegations to be made about UK charities at the forthcoming meeting between the Israeli ambassador and the Economic Secretary and (b) that evidence is made available to (i) the Charities Commission and (ii) the charity concerned at the earliest possible opportunity. [43668]

John Healey: The regulation of UK charities is a matter for the Charities Commission. The Treasury, along with other Government Departments and the Charities Commission take all allegations against UK charities seriously and we stand ready to take any appropriate action.

Child Trust Fund

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of the Child Trust Fund for each year from 2004–05 to 2009–10; and if he will make a statement. [41225]

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of child trust funds was in 2005. [43664]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Byrne) on 22 March 2005, Official Report, column 701W.
 
23 Jan 2006 : Column 1731W
 

Compensation Claims

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to protect the public from excessive claims for commission by companies pursuing claims compensation. [41696]

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.

Part 2 of the Compensation Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 2 November 2005, sets out a statutory framework for the regulation of claims management services.

The legislation will require those providing claims management services to be authorised by a regulator and abide by rules of conduct and a code of practice. These will make clear that the level of charges or fees for providing claims management services must be made clear to the claimant at the outset and be proportionate to the amount of work involved.

Departmental Staff

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many disciplinary actions against civil servants employed in his Department (a) were commenced and (b) resulted in a sanction being applied in each of the last five years. [43485]

John Healey: The number of disciplinary procedures that have resulted in disciplinary penalties being applied to employees of HM Treasury in each of the last five years is as follows:
Number of disciplinary procedures
20014
20025
20033
20043
20051

In addition, disciplinary procedures have been initiated against employees who have resigned before the disciplinary case has been concluded as follows:
Number of procedures initiated against employees who resigned
20010
20021
20030
20040
20053

The Department does not keep a record of the number of disciplinary cases that are initiated and concluded but not proven.

Drug-related Deaths

Mr. Malins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths consumption of illegal drugs was the primary cause in each of the last 10 years. [44726]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
 
23 Jan 2006 : Column 1732W
 

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 23 January 2006:


Deaths from drug-related poisoning(3) involving illegal substances,(4) England and Wales 1994 to 2003(5)

Number of deaths
1994936
19951,012
19961,174
19971,204
19981,349
19991,471
20001,571
20011,535
20021,430
20031,294


(3)Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 292, 304, 305.2–305.9, E850-E858, E950.0-E950.5, E962.0 and E980.0-E980.5 for 1994 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F11-F16, F18-F19, X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Yl4 from 2001 onwards.
(4)Includes deaths where the underlying cause was drug-related poisoning and a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death record.
(5)Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.


Economic Inactivity (Beverley and Holderness)

Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Beverley and Holderness under the age of 25 years were economically inactive in each year since 1997. [44318]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 January 2006:


Number of economically inactive persons aged 16 to 24 resident in the Beverley and Holderness parliamentary constituency

Economically inactive persons aged 16 to 24
Twelve months ending:Level (thousand)Rate (percentage)
February 1998332
February 1999331
February 2000114
February 2001228
February 2002239
February 2003220
February 2004227
March 2005440




Notes:
1.Estimates are subject to sampling variability.
2.Changes from year-to-year should be treated with particular caution.
Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey.




 
23 Jan 2006 : Column 1733W
 


Next Section Index Home Page