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University for Industry

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards the establishment of the University for Industry included in the Government's 1997 manifesto; and if she will make a statement. [48132]

Bill Rammell: Ufi (initially called the University for Industry"), the organisation responsible for learndirect, has successfully pushed the boundaries of learning methods, by making innovative use of technology to make learning more flexible. It is the largest Government supported e-learning initiative in the
 
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world, and provides high quality learning for the post-16 learning and skills sector. It particularly reaches those with few or no skills and qualifications who are unlikely to participate in more traditional forms of learning.

In eight years Ufi has grown from an idea to an organisation providing 500,000 learners a year with the opportunity to improve their skills at either a learndirect centre, or from work, or from their home computer. Through its national advice line it has dealt with over seven million calls. Almost 200,000 small and medium sized employers have also used learndirect services.

Year 11 Leavers

Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many year 11 leavers in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Wakefield District and (c) Normanton constituency have stayed on in learning each year since 2001. [48391]

Jacqui Smith: The percentage of 16-year-olds in full-time education in England at the end of 2004 was estimated to be 74.2 per cent.—the highest ever rate. Percentage figures on participation in education by young people are not available for parliamentary constituencies, but are available for local authorities—including Wakefield LEA and for West Yorkshire. These were published in the Statistical First Release Participation in education and training by 16 and 17 year olds in each local area in England"—SFR11/2005 on 31 March 2005.

The publication is accessible on the DfES website via the link, http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/index.shtml

The specific figures are available through the following link: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/SFR11–2005tables_lea.xls

TREASURY

Alcohol Sales

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total sales of (a) beers and lagers, (b) wine and (c) spirits were sold in (i) licensed premises and (ii) off licences in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available. [45928]

Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.

Household final consumption expenditure figures for 2004 show that 70 per cent. of expenditure on alcoholic drinks was in licensed premises and 30 per cent. was in off licences in the United Kingdom. Figures for beer and lager, wine and spirits are shown in the following table.
Household final consumption expenditure on alcohol in the UK in 2004

	Licensed premises (£ million)	Off licences (£ million)	Total (£ million)	% sold in licensed premises	% sold through off licences
Beer and lager	16,222	3,054	19,276	84.2	15.8
Wine	7,665	5,900	13,565	56.5	43.5
Spirits	4,701	3,295	7,996	58.8	41.2
Total Alcohol	28,588	12,249	40,837	70.0	30.0

Source:
Office for National Statistics, Household final consumption expenditure




 
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Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated consumption per capita was of (a) beers and lagers, (b) wine and (c) spirits in the UK, in each of the last 10 years. [45983]

Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.

 
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The following table shows estimated average weekly purchases per person of beer, lager, wine and spirits by people aged 14 and over in UK households. Information on alcoholic drinks eaten out is not available until 2001–02 when the Expenditure and Food Survey replaced the National Food Survey. It should be noted that survey respondents may tend to underestimate the quantity of alcoholic drinks they purchase.

UK household purchases of beer, lager, wine and spirits by people aged 14 and over ml per person per week

	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05
Beers and lagers
Household purchases	413	429	445	415	401	473	471	460	503	478
Eating out purchases(97)	—	—	—	—	—	—	759	716	673	623
Total purchases	—	—	—	—	—	—	1,230	1,176	1,176	1,101
Wine(98)
Household purchases	198	206	219	241	241	716	270	267	287	302
Eating out purchases(97)	—	—	—	—	—	—	24	24	25	26
Total purchases	—	—	—	—	—	—	294	291	312	328
Spirits(99)
Household purchases	39	42	39	37	42	45	48	47	50	46
Eating out purchases(97)	—	—	—	—	—	—	21	20	22	20
Total purchases	—	—	—	—	—	—	69	67	72	66

⁽⁹⁷⁾ Quantity of alcohol eaten out is not available prior to 2001–02
⁽⁹⁸⁾ Includes sparkling and non-sparkling wine, wine with mixers, champagne
⁽⁹⁹⁾ Includes spirits, spirits with mixers, liqueurs, cocktails etc.
Source:
Defra, adjusted National Food Survey (1995 to 2000), Expenditure and Food Survey (2001–02 to 2004–05)

Benefit Payments (Debt Recovery)

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the banking industry on the impact on customers of the right of set-off being used to recover debts from benefits paid into a basic bank account. [49191]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Treasury has had a number of discussions with the banking industry covering a range of topics including the basic bank account.

Chard Neighbourhood Nursery

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects HM Revenue and Customs to make its ex gratia payment of outstanding valued added tax to the Chard Neighbourhood Nursery; and if he will make a statement. [47849]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: HM Revenue and Customs officials are discussing this matter with the various parties concerned and are making an immediate substantial interim payment while the remaining matters are resolved.

Community Banking

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Financial Inclusion Taskforce has made in evaluating the community banking model. [49038]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Financial Inclusion Taskforce was launched in February 2005 following the publication of Promoting financial inclusion". The taskforce has been asked to monitor progress towards tackling financial exclusion and report to the Government on what more needs to be done. The terms of reference of the taskforce can be found on the taskforce website at www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk. The taskforce will report to Treasury in due course.

Construction Industry Scheme

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken to communicate to the construction industry the operation of the new Construction Industry Scheme; and how much has been spent on this activity. [47257]

John Healey: HMRC is delivering a comprehensive publicity and education programme. This started with a mailing to accountants in March 2005 and a more detailed mailshot in August 2005.

Factsheets for the new scheme were published on the internet in August 2005, designed to inform contractors and sub-contractors about the different aspects of the new scheme. Later that month contractors were invited to attend seminars on the scheme run by HMRC's business advisers.

The change was publicised in national tabloid newspapers and in accountancy and the trade press in September and October 2005. The adverts directed readers to the HMRC website for further information.

Earlier mailings were followed up by direct mailings to contractors in December 2005 and January 2006. These were to promote the launch of two new services: a helpline and an Employment Status Indicator (ESI) tool. The helpline was opened to help deal with inquiries on new CIS and employment status. The ESI is a computer based interactive tool to help determine the status. The new ESI tool can be accessed direct over the internet from the HMRC website.
 
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Further mailshots for contractors and sub-contractors are scheduled in the run-up to the launch of the new CIS in April 2007.

The cost of publicity and education programme to date is approximately £1 million.

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what process Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs applies to money that has been deducted under the Construction Industry Scheme but cannot be allocated to national insurance due to a worker not registering a national insurance number; and how much was dealt with under this process in 2004–05. [47264]

John Healey: The Construction Industry Scheme requires contractors to make deductions (currently at 18 per cent.) from payments made to sub-contractors and pay the deductions to HM Revenue and Customs. All sub-contractors registered under the scheme are also registered for self-assessment and are required to report their profits on a self assessment return, at the end of the tax year. The amounts deducted from sub-contractors are applied first against their liability to income tax on their profits and then against their liability to class 4 national insurance contributions on those profits. Any balance is repaid. Where sub-contractors are liable to class 2 national insurance contributions, they account for them separately to HM Revenue and Customs.

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