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Saving Gateway Scheme
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the Saving Gateway scheme. [105500]
Ed Balls: The Saving Gateway aims to encourages saving among lower-income households and promote engagement with mainstream financial services.
The second Saving Gateway pilot is currently underway and a final evaluation report is due to be published in spring 2007. An announcement on the next steps for the scheme will be made in summer 2007.
Supporting People Strategy
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that financial capability sessions and advice are offered in (a) Sure Start children’s centres and (b) as part of the Supporting People Strategy. [105499]
Ed Balls: The revised Sure Start children’s centres practice guidance, published on 30 November 2006, highlights the importance of financial capability in enabling people to participate in society and to manage their finances effectively. It advises that children’s centres should consider providing financial education to parents as part of their support services.
In developing the Supporting People strategy an extensive consultation was conducted with their stakeholder community. The issue of financial capability was not explicitly raised, but the Department for Communities and Local Government are content to consider how it might be reflected in the strategy.
The Government will shortly publish its long-term strategy on financial capability.
Tax Credits
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in St. Albans constituency are in receipt of (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit, broken down by ward. [106936]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given to the hon. Member for Leicester South (Sir Peter Soulsby) on 29 November 2006, Official Report, column 735W.
Uniform Business Rate
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the (a) total and (b) average uniform business rate being paid by businesses employing fewer than (i) 10, (ii) 50, (iii) 250, (iv) 1,000 and (v) 5,000 people; and if he will make a statement. [105490]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
VAT Registration Numbers
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time taken was for processing an application from a business for the issuing of a VAT registration number in (a) the last year for which figures are available and (b) 1997. [108095]
Ed Balls: The average time taken to process an application for VAT registration for the period from 1 April to 31 October 2006 was 30 days. No figures are available for either the last financial year or for 1997.
Welsh Language Services
Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the Welsh Language Board on the provision of telephone services in Welsh by his Department. [108573]
John Healey [holding answer 12 December 2006]: Officials are in discussion with the Welsh Language Board about a proposal for a Welsh Language Scheme. The Treasury has not, however, had any discussions with the Welsh Language Board on the provision of telephone services in Welsh.
Winter Deaths
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many excess winter deaths there were in Tamworth constituency in each of the last ten years. [105736]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 13 December 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many excess winter deaths there were in Tamworth constituency in each of the last 10 years.
(105736)
Estimates of excess winter deaths relate to a four-month period from December of one year to March of the next year. The table below provides the number of excess winter deaths in Tamworth parliamentary constituency for the years 1995/96 to 2004/05 (the latest available).
| Table 1: Excess winter deaths( 1, 2) in Tamworth parliamentary constituency( 3) ,1995-96 to 2004-05 | |
| Winter | Number of excess deaths |
| (1 )The estimated number of excess winter deaths is the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July). Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. (2 )Data are based on deaths occurring in each month. (3 )Using boundaries as of 2005 for all years shown. |
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