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7 Feb 2007 : Column 1041W—continued

Table 1, attached, shows the numbers of unemployed, aged 16 and over, resident in the Jarrow constituency, the North East region and the United Kingdom, for the 12 months ending in February from 1997 to 2004, from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 months ending in March 2005 and 2006, from the APS and the corresponding unemployment rates which are defined as
7 Feb 2007 : Column 1042W
the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the economically active population. Corresponding model-based estimates are provided for South Tyneside except for the 12 months ending March 2005 for which estimates are currently unavailable.

These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. In particular, estimates for Jarrow are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area and thus are based on very small sample sizes. In this case, the sample sizes are not sufficient to give an accurate estimate of even the direction of the change over the period. The model-based estimates are subject to random variability.

ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 2, attached, shows the annual average number of people, resident in the Jarrow constituency, South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East region and the United Kingdom, claiming JSA from 1997 to 2006. The table also includes these figures expressed as a proportion of the resident working-age population.

Table 1: Unemployment in the Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East region and the United Kingdom.
Thousand
	Jarrow		South Tyneside( 1)		North East		United Kingdom
12 months ending	Level	Rate( 2) (%)	Level	Rate( 2) (%)	Level	Rate( 2) (%)	Level	Rate( 2 ) (%)
February 1997	5	13.7	8	11.8	118	10.1	2,207	7.8
February 1998	5	14.1	8	11.6	106	9.2	1,911	6.8
February 1999	3	6.9	7	10.2	93	8.2	1,730	6.1
February 2000	4	10.5	8	12.7	107	9.3	1,689	5.9
February 2001	4	10.1	7	10.5	90	7.8	1,518	5.3
February 2002	4	9.1	7	10.1	84	7.3	1,450	5.0
February 2003	3	7.4	6	9.2	76	6.6	1,494	5.1
February 2004	3	7.1	6	8.6	77	6.7	1,444	4.9
March 2005	3	7.9	n/a	n/a	69	5.9	1,378	4.7
March 2006	3	7.4	6	8.9	73	6.2	1,483	5.0
Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey, Annual Population Survey. (1 )Model-based estimates of unemployment. Estimates are subject to random variability. (2 )Number of persons, aged 16 and over, expressed a percentage of the resident economically active population aged 16 and over. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes In the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.

Table 2: Annual average number of claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance in the Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East region and the United Kingdom.
	Jarrow		South Tyneside		North East		United Kingdom
	Level	Proportion( 1) (%)	Level	Proportion( 1) (%)	Level	Proportion( 1) (%)	Level	Proportion( 1) (%)
1997	3,119	6.4	7,004	7.7	94,459	6.1	1,602,442	4.5
1998	2,766	5.7	6,283	6.9	84,399	5.4	1,362,340	3.8
1999	2,820	5.8	6,477	12	81,042	5.2	1,263,001	3.5
2000	2,625	5.4	6,058	6.7	73,363	4.7	1,102,257	3.0
2001	2,377	4.9	5,540	6.1	63,852	4.1	982,998	2.7
2002	2,273	4.7	5,207	5.7	59,026	3.8	958,759	2.6
2003	1,986	4.1	4,588	5.0	53,806	3.4	945,894	2.6
2004	1,742	3.6	4,078	4.5	47,093	3.0	866,144	2.3
2005	1,824	3.7	4,096	4.5	46,594	2.9	874,417	2.3
2006	1.870	3.8	4,251	4.6	56.792	3.2	956.732	2.6
(1 )Number of claimants expressed as a percentage of the resident working-age population. (2 )Proportions for parliamentary constituencies are based on 2001 Census data adjusted to be consistent with 2001 mid-year population estimates for local authorities. Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative data

Work and Pensions

Atos Origins Assessors

Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how people with (a) mental health problems, (b) learning disabilities and (c) autistic spectrum disorders will be involved in the new training for Atos Origins assessors. [110581]

Mr. Jim Murphy: We will consult with the relevant representative organisations to ensure that the training
7 Feb 2007 : Column 1043W
provided to healthcare professionals involved in the revised personal capability assessment process is in keeping with the needs of our customers, including those with mental health conditions, learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders.

The National Autistic Society, for example, has already provided valuable advice in devising a training module on the assessment of those with Asperger Syndrome.

Bankruptcy

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people he estimates have lost their pension due to declaring themselves bankrupt since the Landau case of 1996. [111197]

James Purnell: The information requested is not available.

Benefit Costs

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on each category of benefit administered by his Department in the last year for which figures are available. [102273]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information requested is available on the DWP website at:

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp

Benefit Fraud

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget was of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate and its predecessor for each year since 1997; how many staff it employed in each year; and what its national targets were in each year. [116587]

Mr. Plaskitt: The available information is in the following table.

Financial Year	Expenditure (£ million)	Staff employed
1997-98(1)	3.44	86
1998-99	5.8	133
1999-2000	5.64	138
2000-01	5.88	149
2001-02	5.55	137
2002-03(2)	7.11	136
2003-04	7.71	139
2004-05	7.86	154
2005-06	7.1	147
2006-07(3)	5.6	127
Notes: (1 )The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate was launched in November 1997 so expenditure represents November 1997 to March 1998. (2 )Includes recruitment for Comprehensive Performance Assessment work and Performance Improvement Action Team (funded by Treasury Invest to Save Money). (3 )Expenditure represents April 2006 to December 2006.

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