House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 27 Apr 2006 (pt 17)

27 Apr 2006 : Column 1280W—continued

Road Fuel Prices

Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he (a) has made and (b) plans to make of the effect of an increase in the price of (i) petrol and (ii) diesel on the UK economy; and if he will make a statement; [65254]

(2) what assessment he (a) has made and (b) plans to make of the long-term consequences for (i) employment and (ii) the British economy of (A) continued increases in the price of petroleum and (B) a decrease in the output of oil; and if he will make a statement; [65256]

(3) what assessment he has made of the impact on the UK economy if the price of (a) petrol and (b) diesel were to be reduced by (i) five pence and (ii) 10 pence per litre; and if he will make a statement. [65257]

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John Healey: The Government continually monitor developments in petroleum markets. The effects of higher oil and fuel prices on the UK economy were discussed on Box 2.5, p.26 of pre-Budget report 2005 (Cm 6701) and in Chapter B of Budget 2006 (HC 968).

Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has made to Arab States about (a) an increase in the price of petroleum and (b) a decrease in the output of oil; what response he has received; and if he will make a statement. [65255]

John Healey: The Chancellor engages in dialogue with the representatives of Arab States—and other oil producers—on a regular basis, both bilaterally and through multilateral fora. These conversations cover a range of issues of common interest and therefore include oil market developments. The Chancellor has repeatedly encouraged major oil producers to increase their investment throughout the oil supply chain in order to ensure that supply growth keeps pace with the growth in demand.

Scottish Executive

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what criteria are applied to requests from (a) the Scottish Executive to draw down money from the account held by the Treasury on its behalf and (b) Government Departments to draw down underspends; [66752]

(2) what the balance is on the account held by his Department on behalf of the Scottish Executive. [66754]

Mr. Des Browne: Details of the end-year flexibility scheme are set out in the Public Expenditure Out-turn White Paper 2005–06 (Cm 6639). Table 6 of that publication details the end-year flexibility entitlements for all Departments.

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funds were (a) requested to be drawn down and (b) drawn down from the savings account held by his Department on behalf of the Scottish Executive in each year from 2000–01 to 2005–06. [66757]

Mr. Des Browne: Details of the agreed draw-down of end-year flexibility are set out in the relevant supplementary estimates and accompanying ministerial written statements.

Self-invested Personal Pensions

Mr. Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the (a) role and (b) regulation of independent trustees for self-invested personal pensions. [65422]

Mr. Des Browne: It is common for trustees to administer personal pension schemes. Under current legislation trustees are often exempt from requiring FSA authorisation. Many self-invested personal pensions (SIPP) providers use this route for exemption.

Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP) operators will, from April 2007, need to be authorised by the FSA with all the protection for consumers that this entails. That includes any trustees who are operating the scheme unless they are not doing so by way of business or are

27 Apr 2006 : Column 1282W

just 'bare trustees'. The FSA is currently consulting industry on the detailed implementation of how this relates to trustees.

Smuggling (Northern Ireland)

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise officers were assigned to tackling smuggling activities in Northern Ireland in the 2005–06 financial year; and how many man hours this represents. [65157]

John Healey: The staff employed by HM Revenue and Customs in Northern Ireland who contribute to anti-smuggling activities was 159 in 2004–05. They are deployed across a range of activities that contribute to, but are not solely allocated to, our anti-smuggling efforts; including investigation, detection and intelligence. As a consequence we are unable to attribute a single staffing figure to anti-smuggling work.

All staffing figures for 2005–06 are not yet available but will be published in the HMRC Annual Report 2005–06.

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many and what percentage of detections of smuggling in Northern Ireland were made by HM Revenue and Customs in the last period for which figures are available; [65158]

(2) how many and what percentage of detections of smuggling in Northern Ireland were made by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the last period for which figures are available. [65148]

John Healey: HM Revenue and Customs work closely with many other agencies to tackle smuggling, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The number of detections of smuggled goods in the financial year 2004–05 in Northern Ireland was 1,939 but it is not possible to distinguish what number, if any, were the result of working with any other agency, or referred to HMRC by that agency.

Stillbirths

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many babies have been stillborn in each of the regions of the UK in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total number of births this represented in each case. [65413]

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

Letter from Jill Matheson, dated 27 April 2006:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many babies have been stillborn in each of the regions of the UK in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total number of births this represented in each case. I am replying in her absence. (65413)

The table below shows the number of stillbirths, and stillbirths as a percentage of all births, in countries of the UK and Government Office Regions of England for the years 2000 to 2004.

27 Apr 2006 : Column 1283W

Number of stillbirths, and stillbirths as a percentage of total births, in countries of the United Kingdom and Government office regions of England, 2000–2004

2000
2001
2002

Number of stillbirths Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾ Number of stillbirths Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾ Number of stillbirths Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾

United Kingdom 3,594 0.53 3,572 0.53 3,772 0.56

England and Wales⁽²⁰⁾ 3,203 0.53 3,159 0.53 3,372 0.56

England⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021) 3,029 0.53 2,991 0.53 3,201 0.56

Wales⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021) 145 0.46 155 0.50 164 0.54

Scotland⁽²²⁾ 298 0.56 301 0.57 278 0.54

Northern Ireland⁽²³⁾ 93 0.43 112 0.51 122 0.57

Government Office Regions of England⁽²⁰⁾

North East 140 0.53 136 0.52 153 0.58

North West 418 0.54 459 0.61 424 0.56

Yorkshire and The Humber 338 0.60 287 0.51 334 0.60

East Midlands 218 0.47 241 0.54 254 0.56

West Midlands 348 0.56 337 0.55 383 0.62

East 296 0.48 291 0.48 318 0.53

London 663 0.63 620 0.59 691 0.65

South East 398 0.44 409 0.46 421 0.48

South West 210 0.42 211 0.43 223 0.45

2003
2004

Number of stillbirths Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾ Number of stillbirths Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾

United Kingdom 3,989 0.57 3,962 0.55

England and Wales⁽²⁰⁾ 3,585 0.57 3,532 0.55

England⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021) 3,405 0.57 3,338 0.55

Wales⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021) 160 0.51 179 0.55

Scotland⁽²²⁾ 296 0.56 317 0.58

Northern Ireland⁽²³⁾ 108 0.50 113 0.50

Government Office Regions of England⁽²⁰⁾

North East 150 0.55 157 0.56

North West 468 0.60 449 0.55

Yorkshire and The Humber 347 0.60 347 0.57

East Midlands 289 0.61 265 0.55

West Midlands 387 0.60 367 0.55

East 309 0.49 339 0.52

London 752 0.68 710 0.62

South East 443 0.48 458 0.49

South West 260 0.50 246 0.47

⁽¹⁹⁾ Stillbirths as a percentage of live births and stillbirths.
⁽²⁰⁾ Some stillbirths in 2004 are excluded from these and previously published figures, as the relevant registration details were not sent to ONS before the statistics were compiled. Revised figures for 2004 will be published as soon as possible to include the additional stillbirth registrations.
⁽²¹⁾ Excludes non-residents of England and Wales.
⁽²²⁾ Includes non-residents of Scotland.
⁽²³⁾ Excludes non-residents of Northern Ireland.
Source:
ONS Series DH3 Mortality statistics—Childhood, infant and perinatal.
General Register Office—Scotland. The Registrar General's Annual Report.
General Register Office—Northern Ireland. The Registrar General's Annual Report.

	2000	2001	2002
	Number of stillbirths	Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾	Number of stillbirths	Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾	Number of stillbirths	Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾
United Kingdom	3,594	0.53	3,572	0.53	3,772	0.56
England and Wales⁽²⁰⁾	3,203	0.53	3,159	0.53	3,372	0.56
England⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021)	3,029	0.53	2,991	0.53	3,201	0.56
Wales⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021)	145	0.46	155	0.50	164	0.54
Scotland⁽²²⁾	298	0.56	301	0.57	278	0.54
Northern Ireland⁽²³⁾	93	0.43	112	0.51	122	0.57

Government Office Regions of England⁽²⁰⁾
North East	140	0.53	136	0.52	153	0.58
North West	418	0.54	459	0.61	424	0.56
Yorkshire and The Humber	338	0.60	287	0.51	334	0.60
East Midlands	218	0.47	241	0.54	254	0.56
West Midlands	348	0.56	337	0.55	383	0.62
East	296	0.48	291	0.48	318	0.53
London	663	0.63	620	0.59	691	0.65
South East	398	0.44	409	0.46	421	0.48
South West	210	0.42	211	0.43	223	0.45

	2003	2004
	Number of stillbirths	Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾	Number of stillbirths	Stillbirths as percentage of total births⁽¹⁹⁾
United Kingdom	3,989	0.57	3,962	0.55
England and Wales⁽²⁰⁾	3,585	0.57	3,532	0.55
England⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021)	3,405	0.57	3,338	0.55
Wales⁽²⁰⁾^(5509120021)	160	0.51	179	0.55
Scotland⁽²²⁾	296	0.56	317	0.58
Northern Ireland⁽²³⁾	108	0.50	113	0.50

Government Office Regions of England⁽²⁰⁾
North East	150	0.55	157	0.56
North West	468	0.60	449	0.55
Yorkshire and The Humber	347	0.60	347	0.57
East Midlands	289	0.61	265	0.55
West Midlands	387	0.60	367	0.55
East	309	0.49	339	0.52
London	752	0.68	710	0.62
South East	443	0.48	458	0.49
South West	260	0.50	246	0.47

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