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28 Feb 2007 : Column 1419W—continued
| Table 3: Couples of working age( 1) in employment with dependent children( 2) by Government office region, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted | |
| Three months ending December2006 | Number (000) |
| (1)Includes men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (2)Youngest dependent children aged 0 to 15, or aged 16 to 18 and in full-time education. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS) | |
Public Expenditure
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the total cost was of producing the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review website; and how much was accounted for by (a) design, (b) hosting, (c) external consultancy and (d) civil servants’ time; [123076]
(2) how many users have played the interactive game on the Comprehensive Spending Review website since its launch. [123113]
Mr. Timms: In the 24 days from launch up to 23 February, the site received a total of 6,143 visits, and the interactive simulator was used 5,278 times.
The website was contracted out to an agency to produce, at a cost of £74,228. No record has been kept of civil servants’ time spent on the project, as this has been absorbed within existing staff time and costs. The cost of hosting for the first year is £1,250.
Revenue and Customs
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of proposals submitted in response to the HM Revenue and Customs Angels and Dragons internal communications initiative. [123366]
Dawn Primarolo: The Angels and Dragons scheme was only implemented on 30 October 2006. It is therefore still in its early stages.
Valuation Office
Paul Rowen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the District Valuation Office uses information from (a) estate agency records including interior photographs and (b) other sources to obtain details about domestic properties. [123279]
Dawn Primarolo: District Valuer Services (DVS) is a business stream within the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). In order to carry out its functions to value property it gathers information from publicly available sources such as estate agents’ particulars and auction catalogues, both of which may contain photographs, together with information from publicly available websites. It also relies on records maintained by the VOA.
Welfare Tax Credits
Mike Wood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to improve the take up of tax credits. [121859]
Dawn Primarolo: Around 6 million families containing nearly 10 million children are currently benefiting from tax credits. Take-up is higher than any previous system of income-related financial support for in-work families.
Regular advertising around renewals and changes of circumstances serves to maintain general awareness of tax credits and targeted advertising, for example addressed at new mothers, promotes take-up.
Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral answer of the Paymaster General on 25 January 2007, Official Report, column 1547, to the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Mr. Moore), what steps he is taking to improve the procedures for recovering overpaid tax credits from couples who have split up; and if he will make a statement. [122455]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 22 February 2007]: As I confirmed, I am looking at the issue and will report back in due course.
Health
Burns
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when she expects the National Burn Care review to conclude its resourcing evaluation; [119491]
(2) whether funding allocated specifically for major burn care services covers the entire running costs of any of the major burn care services in England; [119679]
(3) whether the adequacy of current tariffs for major burns care services has been considered as part of the National Burn Care review. [119680]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Burn Care Group (NBCG) has been carrying forward the recommendations of the burn care review. The purpose is to ensure that burn care services move towards care that is seamlessly delivered by a network of specialised, accredited and progressive services. The work is led by the national health service and is due to be completed by April 2011.
Work on evaluating resource needs is complex because of the variability of demand and because costs are often included with other services such as plastic surgery.
There is no funding allocated specifically for the running costs of the major burn care services. Funding has been made to the NBCG to fund initiatives that will improve the quality of burn services. Normal running costs are met from funds provided by primary care trusts from their overall allocations.
Current tariffs for major burns care services have been considered, and continue to be considered as part of an ongoing process involving the burn community, specialist commissioners, and representatives of the NBCG members.
Carers
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions she has had recently with (a) carers organisations and (b) educational bodies on improving the well being of carers through access to skills, learning and leisure opportunities; and if she will make a statement; [121269]
(2) if she will consult carers centres to identify examples of good practice on learning and leisure opportunities for carers; and if she will make a statement. [121267]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions regarding aspects of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004. As part of the new deal for carers, the Department has committed to developing the Prime Minister’s 1999 Strategy for Carers. An inter-departmental group, whose members will include the three national carers’ organisations, is being formed to focus on this work which is likely to include consideration of carers’ access to learning and leisure opportunities. As the work develops, other key stakeholders will be involved and consulted.
Child Birth
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births there were in each region of England in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [122642]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 28 February 2007:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question about how many births there were in each region of England in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (122642)
The latest year for which figures are available is 2005. The attached table shows numbers of live births in England by Government Office Region for the years 1996 to 2005.
| Live births by Government Office Region( 1) in England 1996 to 2005 | ||||||||||
| Government office region | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| (1) Births are assigned to Government Office Region according to the usual residence of the mother at the date of the birth, as stated at registration. The table excludes a small number of' live births occurring; in England each year to mothers whose usual residence was outside England arid Wales. Source: Key Population and Vital Statistics, Series VS nos. 23.31 and Birth Statistics, Series FM1 and No.34. | ||||||||||
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