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25 Jun 2007 : Column 391W—continued


Table 2 : Number of adults (million) living in households below different thresholds of median income: In 2005-06: before housing costs: by age-band of household reference person
Age-band of household reference person Below 80 per cent. of median income Below 60 per cent. of median income Below 40 per cent. of median income

16 to 20

1.0

0.6

0.2

21 to 25

1.0

0.6

0.2

26 to 30

0.8

0.4

0.2

31 to 40

2.5

1.2

0.4

41 to 50

2.3

1.2

0.4

51 to 60

1.9

1.1

0.5

61 to 65

1.1

0.5

0.2

66 to 75

2.2

1.0

0.2

76 to 85

1.8

0.8

0.2

Over 85

0.4

0.2

0.1

Note:
The information is based on OECD equivalisation factors and therefore it will not be the same as any figures previously published that were based on McClements equivalisation factors.
Source:
Family Resources Survey 2005-06

Personal Savings

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average value of savings per person in each UK region in each of the last five years. [144581]

Ed Balls: The information requested is not available.

Public Expenditure: Surveys

Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of all extant public expenditure survey (PES) papers; and if he will make it his policy to make PES papers publicly available on his Department’s website. [145202]

Mr. Timms: Most Public Expenditure System papers containing standing guidance have been incorporated into the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance, available on Treasury’s website. Remaining extant papers generally contain time-limited guidance and are withdrawn as they become out of date.


25 Jun 2007 : Column 392W

I have arranged for copies of extant PES papers to be published on Treasury’s website as soon as practically possible, and all future PES papers will likewise be published.

Public Sector: Pensions

Mr. Newmark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's unfunded public sector pension liabilities are if calculated using a discount rate based on index linked gilts; and what discount rate he uses for the calculation. [118104]

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the Government's total accrued liability in relation to public service pension schemes was as at March 2006; [127765]

(2) what recent estimate he has made of the liabilities of public sector pension schemes for which he is responsible; and if he will make a statement. [140303]

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the total liabilities of unfunded public sector pension schemes as at 31 March 2006. [137977]

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the liabilities of public sector pension schemes for which he is responsible. [140307]

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when his Department plans to publish the latest estimates of public sector unfunded pension liabilities; and if he will make a statement; [141940]

(2) what the reasons are for the delay in the publication of the latest estimate of the cost of unfunded public sector pension liabilities; and if he will make a statement; [143622]

(3) what his estimate is of the total unfunded public sector pension liability as at 31 March 2006; and if he will make a statement; [144270]

(4) on what date his Department plans to release the (a) estimate and (b) analysis of the total liability of unfunded public service occupational schemes at (i) 31 March 2006 and (ii) 31 March 2007; and if he will make a statement; [144561]

(5) what discount rate the Government are using to calculate the net present value of public sector pension commitments; and if he will make a statement; [144575]

(6) what estimate he has made of the impact on the net present value of unfunded public sector pension schemes of changing the discount rate by 0.1 per cent.; and if he will make a statement; [144693]

(7) what change in the discount rate for public sector pension schemes was made on 31 March 2007; and if he will make a statement; [144895]

(8) what the Government's policy is on the choice of a discount rate for public sector pension scheme liabilities; and if he will make a statement. [144896]

Mr. Timms: The unfunded public service pension liability as at 31 March 2005 was estimated to be £530 billion, and a technical paper explaining the
25 Jun 2007 : Column 393W
methodology underlying this estimate is in the House Library. A new estimate will be published in due course.

The total liability estimate covers all the pensions due to be paid to current and future pensioners in unfunded pension schemes, which will be paid at different times over the next eight decades, and which have been earned by around 10 million current and former public servants and their dependants over the last eight decades.

The cash payments needed to service these payments remain stable and fully affordable. In 2004-05, around £18 billion was spent on paying unfunded, public service occupational pensions. This compares with around £17 billion in 2003-04. Both of these figures are in cash terms.

And as the latest Long Term Public Finance Report demonstrates, these annual cash payments are projected to remain completely affordable in the long-term, rising gradually to only 2 per cent. of GDP in 50 years time, contributing to the strong position the UK economy is in to meet the fiscal challenges of the future.

Small Businesses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the
25 Jun 2007 : Column 394W
Confederation of British Industry on the position of small businesses. [145543]

John Healey: The Chancellor is in frequent dialogue with the Confederation of British Industry as well as other representative bodies, discussing a number of issues including the position of small businesses.

Stillbirths

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many stillbirths there were in each English region in each year since 1997. [144286]

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 June 2007:

Stillbirths by Government Office Region( 1) in England 1997 to 2005
Government office region 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

North East

162

170

144

140

136

153

150

166

162

North West

463

454

432

418

459

424

471

461

453

Yorkshire and Humber

313

338

305

338

287

334

357

386

379

East Midlands

235

247

219

218

241

254

289

267

245

West Midlands

361

365

391

348

337

383

387

382

394

Eastern

312

313

308

296

291

318

311

343

282

London

652

633

624

663

620

691

759

765

702

South East

440

441

426

398

409

421

445

466

454

South West

312

258

279

210

211

223

261

249

227

Total England

3,250

3,219

3,128

3,029

2,991

3,201

3,430

3,485

3,298

(1) Stillbirths 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 stillbirths occurring in England each year to mothers whose usual residence was outside England and Wales.
Source:
Office for National Statistics

Tax Allowances: Armed Forces

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax relief schemes are in place for members of the military serving overseas. [145547]

Dawn Primarolo: Members of the military serving overseas are entitled to the tax relief available to taxpayers generally, provided they satisfy any qualifying conditions. The Government have also introduced a specific tax exemption in Finance Bill 2007 for members of the armed forces who are paid the newly introduced operational allowance. There is also a tax exemption under section 299 Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 that covers any foreign service allowance paid to members of the armed forces to cover the extra cost of having to live outside the United Kingdom when serving overseas.


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