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26 Apr 2007 : Column 1322W—continued

Unemployment: Young People

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many 18 to 24-year-olds were (a) employed and (b) unemployed in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement. [133459]

John Healey [holding answer 23 April 2007]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 April 2007:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many 18 to 24 year olds have been (a) employed and (b) unemployed, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down into regions. (133459)

Table 1 gives the numbers of people aged 18 to 24 in employment, broken down by region of residence.

Table 2 gives numbers of unemployed people aged 18 to 24 in the United Kingdom. Comparable estimates for each region are not available.

The tables provided are for the 3 months ending December each year from 1997 to 2006 (estimates for 1998 and 2000 are not available). The data are not seasonally adjusted.

Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

26 Apr 2007 : Column 1323W

26 Apr 2007 : Column 1324W

Table 1: People aged 18 to 24 in employment by region of residence United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted
Thousand
Three months ending December each year	United Kingdom	North East	North West	Yorkshire and Humberside	East Midlands	West Midlands
1997	3,211	131	358	268	240	279
1998	3,185	—	—	—	—	—
1999	3,269	132	360	286	222	292
2000	3,243	—	—	—	—	—
2001	3,346	139	370	284	246	302
2002	3,406	138	406	291	237	316
2003	3,467	148	414	305	259	306
2004	3,520	161	430	311	262	316
2005	3,505	162	437	312	244	308
2006	3,610	171	425	331	262	308

Thousand
	East	London	South East	South West	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
1997	294	405	427	255	142	301	106
1998	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1999	292	441	454	264	147	277	100
2000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2001	302	443	457	269	144	292	99
2002	297	412	470	270	160	308	100
2003	321	397	456	291	169	301	103
2004	320	377	470	279	174	318	102
2005	311	390	449	273	173	330	112
2006	317	431	477	281	182	318	108
‘—’Data not available Source: ONS labour Force Survey (LFS)

Table 2: Unemployed people aged 18 to 24—United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted
Three months ending December each year	T housand
1997	419
1998	421
1999	374
2000	369
2001	391
2002	373
2003	364
2004	410
2005	459
2006	488
Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Valuation Office: Contracts

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provisions on confidentiality there are in the contract between Capgemini and Cole Layer Trumble (CLT) to provide a server version of OASIS and workflow software for the Valuation Office Agency. [130578]

Mr. Timms: The normal ASPIRE terms and conditions, which prohibit CLT from publicising details of the agreement and restrict the passing on of any confidential information to third parties, are contained in this contract.

Welfare Tax Credits

Mr. Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 28 March 2007, Official Report, column 1593W, on welfare tax credits, what guidance has been given to those administering tax credits claims affected by the part of the manual referring to undisclosed partners. [133348]

Mr. Timms: Chapter 15 of the Claimant Compliance Manual provides guidance on how to deal with a case where HMRC discovers that a claimant has not disclosed that they have a partner. The Claimant Compliance Manual is available on HMRC’s website at www.hmrc.gov.uk. Compliance staff refer to that guidance where a case meets the criteria.

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