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30 Jan 2006 : Column 142W—continued

General Insurance Regulations

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment his Department has made of the effects on consumers of the general insurance regulations introduced in 2005; [45468]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of the overall regulatory cost burden on insurance intermediaries following the introduction of general insurance regulation in January 2005. [45469]

John Healey: The FSA commenced regulation of the selling of general insurance in January 2005. The FSA will begin a review of the effectiveness of the general insurance regime in April 2006. This will include seeking feedback from firms and consumer research.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) scope and (b) timescale is of the forthcoming Financial Services Authority's effectiveness review of general insurance regulation. [45473]

John Healey: The FSA will begin a review of the effectiveness of the general insurance regime in April 2006. Findings are expected to be available towards the end of 2006.

The review will focus on how far the FSA conduct of business requirements for general insurance firms are delivering the intended outcomes for consumers.

Pre-Budget Report

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency of measures in his pre-Budget report. [45694]

John Healey: The pre-Budget report set out a range of measures to build a strong economy and a fair society for all constituencies in the UK, including Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. The Government set out the impact of the PBR on the North East in 2005 pre-Budget report: 'What the Pre-Budget Report means for the North East'. This is available on the HM Treasury website.

Tax Credit

Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest estimate is of the amount of tax credit payments which were fraudulently obtained via the HM Revenue and Customs website; and if he will make a statement. [44799]


 
30 Jan 2006 : Column 143W
 

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 23 January]: HMRC are currently undertaking a programme of work on finalised 2003–04 awards—the first year of working tax credit and child tax credit—to provide more information on the level of claimant error and fraud. This is due to be completed in spring 2006.

HMRC use a number of sophisticated tools to help detect fraudulent claims made for tax credits. Whenever possible this is aimed at stopping fraudulent claims from being paid but they also monitor payments to detect known traits of organised fraud.

I also refer the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) to the answer I gave on 18 January, Official Report, column 1357.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on tax credit fraud using Network Rail employees' identities. [46413]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the statement I made on 18 January 2006, Official Report, column 1357W in response to his earlier question.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many awards of tax credits have been stopped because of suspicion of fraud in each month since 2003–04. [38557]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 January 2006, Official Report, column 557–58W. Figures by month could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants appealed (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully to (i) the Adjudicator, (ii) the parliamentary ombudsman and (iii) by judicial review an unsuccessful appeal through the HM Revenue and Customs complaints procedure against a decision to change the amount paid in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (A) type of tax credit and (B) region. [43751]

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) tax credits appeals procedure is explained in its leaflet WTC/AP How to appeal against a tax credits decision or award". The Department's complaints procedure is explained in its Code of Practice 1 Putting things right—How to complain". The Adjudicator's leaflet AO1 also explains that her office does not look at matters which can be considered on appeal or complaints that have been, or are being, investigated by the ombudsman.


 
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Travel Insurance

Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about age discrimination in the pricing of travel insurance by UK companies; and if he will make a statement. [46386]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: HM Treasury has received a small number of representations from organisations working on behalf of older people. Officials have also discussed this issue with the Association of British Insurers.

The Government does not prescribe the terms and conditions that insurance companies may set when offering insurance. It does not intervene in the decisions of insurance companies when determining whether or not to offer cover. As a rule, insurers use their claims experience and other industry-wide statistics to set the terms on which they offer insurance cover.

Unemployment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of (a) unemployment, (b) long-term unemployment, (c) youth unemployment and (d) economic inactivity was in (i) Denbighshire and (ii) Vale of Clwyd constituency in each of the last 20 years. [46069]

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

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 30 January 2006:


 
30 Jan 2006 : Column 145W
 

Table 1: Unemployed persons resident in Denbighshire Unitary Authority

All (16+)
Youth (aged 16 to 24)
12 months
ending
Level (thousand)Rate(32) (percentage)Level (thousand)Rate(32) (percentage)
February 1995411122
February 1996512128
February 199726119
February 199825114
February 199926(33)(33)
February 200049225
February 200136115
February 200224113
February 200324112
February 200424110


(32) Percentage of the economically active resident population.
(33) Estimate not available, sample size less than three could be disclosive.
Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey.



Table 2: Unemployed persons resident in the Vale of Clwyd Parliamentary Constituency

All (16+)
Youth (aged 16 to 24)
12 months
ending
Level (thousand)Rate(34) (percentage)Level (thousand)Rate(34) (percentage)
February 1995310116
February 1996415140
February 199728130
February 199827123
February 199928(35)(35)
February 200039123
February 200126(35)(35)
February 200215116
February 200315114
February 200414111


(34) Percentage of the economically active resident population.
(35) Estimate not available, sample size less than three could be disclosive.
Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey.



 
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Table 3: Economically inactive persons of working age resident in the Denbighshire Unitary Authority and resident in the Vale of Clwyd Parliamentary Constituency

Denbighshire UA
Vale of Clwyd PC
12 months
ending
Level (thousand)Rate (percentage)Level (thousand)Rate (percentage)
February 199511231025
February 19961022821
February 19971124928
February 199812231029
February 199913261231
February 200014261128
February 200113231127
February 20021223925
February 200313251027
February 20041222924



Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey.



Table 4: JSA claimants resident in the Denbighshire Unitary Authority

All
Long-term
(claiming over 12 months)(36)
Youth (aged 18 to 24)(36)
Annual averagesLevelProportion(37) (percentage)LevelProportion(37) (percentage)LevelProportion(37) (percentage)
19865,359n/a1,675n/a1,685n/a
19874,832n/a1,480n/a1,450n/a
19883,974n/a1,050n/a1,195n/a
19892,868n/a595n/a900n/a
19902,347n/a400n/a765n/a
19912,971n/a535n/a1,000n/a
19923,413782021,15516
19933,57871,02021,17016
19943,40471,03021,09515
19953,210695521,03516
19963,2176975297515
19972,3044725168011
19981,854439515359
19991,847431515158
20001,589330514307
20011,447330514157
20021,221225503405
20031,142218003555
20041,056214503355
20051,123215003705



n/a—not available
(36) Computerised claims only. Data rounded to nearest 5 for disclosure control.
(37) Proportion of the resident working age population.
Source:
Jobcentre Plus Administrative system



 
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Table 5: JSA claimants resident in the Vale of Clwyd Parliamentary Constituency

All
Long-term (claiming
over 12 months)(38)
Youth (aged 18 to 24)(38)
Annual
averages
LevelProportion(39) (percentage)LevelProportion(39) (percentage)Level(40)
19962,58477752800
19971,87456002570
19981,54143301465
19991,56342551450
20001,33832601380
20011,20732551365
20021,00932151295
200395121550305
200490421250285
200594621300315


(38) Computerised claims only. Data rounded to nearest 5 for disclosure control.
(39) Proportion of the resident working age population. Denominators based on 2001 Census data adjusted to be consistent with 2001 mid-year population estimates for focal authorities.
(40) Proportions for 18 to 24 group are not available for parliamentary constituencies.
Source:
Jobcentre Plus Administrative System


Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of (a) unemployment, (b) long-term unemployment and (c) youth unemployment was in Milton Keynes in each year since 1997; and how many individuals this represented in each case. [45427]

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell dated 30 January 2006.


Table 1: Unemployed persons resident in the Milton Keynes unitary authority.

All
Youth (aged 16 to 24)
12 months
ending
Level (Thousand)Rate (Percentage)Level (Thousand)Rate (Percentage)
February 199898419
February 19997728
February 200054(41)(41)
February 20014317
February 20024329
February 200365314
February 2004
March 2005
6
6
5
5
2
3
8
14


(41) Estimate not available, sample size less than three could be disclosive.
Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey.



 
30 Jan 2006 : Column 148W
 


Table 2: JSA claimants resident in the Milton Keynes unitary authority

All
Youth(42) (aged 18 to 24)
Long-term(42) (claiming over 12 months)
Annual
Averages
LevelProportion(43) (Percentage)LevelProportion(44)(Percentage)Level(45)
19973,61031,0306830
19982,59126904470
19992,35825953290
20002,08524803240
20011,97614602165
20022,33725503180
20032,67826603305
20042,59026153375
20052,68326754395


(42) Computerised claims only. Data rounded to nearest five for disclosure control.
(43) Proportion of the resident working age population.
(44) Proportion of the resident population aged 18 to 24.
(45) Data for claimants of job seeker's allowance is provided as a 12-month average (January to December) for each year from 1997 to 2005. Proportions for long-term claimants are not provided as for all but one year, the proportion is less than 0.5 per cent. and thus rounded to zero.
Source:
Jobcentre Plus Administrative system



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