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11 July 2007 : Column 1546W

Overseas Trade: Taiwan

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value of UK (a) exports to and (b) imports from Taiwan was in each of the last five years. [148362]

Mr. Thomas: The following table shows data for UK trade in goods and services with Taiwan.

£ million
UK exports to Taiwan UK imports from Taiwan

2001

1,165

2,932

2002

1,214

2,564

2003

1,268

2,371

2004

1,446

2,539

2005

1,483

2,440

Source:
Table 9.3, ONS Balance of Payments Pink Book, 2006

Initial estimates for 2006 and revisions for earlier years are expected to be published on 20 July 2007.

Performing Arts: Children

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether children’s agencies specialising in theatre, TV and modelling have to register with a Government Department or other body. [148727]

Mr. McFadden: While entertainment agencies do not have to register with a Government Department, they are required to meet the provisions under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and associated Conduct Regulations. These are designed to protect the interests of those using the services they provide. The Regulations include provisions to prevent agencies supplying unsuitable people to work with the vulnerable, including children.

Children may not work in television, theatre or other similar activities, including modelling, without a performance licence issued by the local authority under the Children and Young Persons Acts 1933 and 1963, as amended. It is however the responsibility of employers, rather than agencies, to ensure that a child is licensed and that the terms of a licence are complied with.

In addition, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which will be implemented from autumn 2008, provides the legislative framework to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children.

Post Offices

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what opportunities post offices have to expand the range of goods and services they offer. [147218]

Mr. McFadden: The sub-postmasters and mistresses who own and operate 97 per cent. of the 14,000 post offices in the network are private business people. They are free to develop their associated retail businesses and pursue commercial arrangements with whoever they want to so long as the products provided are not in
11 July 2007 : Column 1547W
direct competition with key Post Office products that provide income to support the network.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what new products and services have been developed by the Post Office with the aim of encouraging the recruitment of sub-postmasters. [147220]

Mr. McFadden: The development of new Post Office products and services is an operational matter for the company’s management. In recent years Post Office Ltd. has worked hard to introduce new products and services to replace traditional declining markets. Post Office Ltd. is now the largest provider of foreign currency in the UK and the third largest provider of travel insurance. The Post Office is also the UK’s fifth largest fixed-line telephone service provider and opened 175,000 Instant Saver Accounts in the product’s first year. More products are in the pipeline including a broadband service in partnership with BT.

Health

Abortion

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were carried out at each week of gestation between 18 and 32 weeks in 2006; what the (a) age of mother, (b) residency of mother, (c) grounds for abortion , (d) marital status of mother, (e) number of previous children and (f) number of previous abortions were in each case; and how many and what percentage of those abortions were performed in the (i) public and (ii) private sector. [148108]

Dawn Primarolo: The available information is set out in the following tables.

Abortions by age and gestation 18 weeks and over( 1) , residents, England and Wales, 2006.
Gestation
Age 18 19 20 21 22 23 24+ Total

Under 20

375

357

262

213

175

168

11

1,561

20 to 24

386

324

280

207

172

121

22

1,512

25 to 29

250

180

176

125

112

98

28

969

30 to 34

165

104

117

113

76

66

43

684

35+

181

146

97

96

81

57

32

690

Total

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

(1) Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-nine) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-nine) when used with data already published.


11 July 2007 : Column 1548W
Abortions by country of residence and gestation 18 weeks and over1, performed in England and Wales, 2006.
Gestation
Country of residence 18 19 20 21 22 23 24+ Total

England and Wales

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

Scotland

11

20

27

20

31

(2)

(2)

121

Republic of Ireland

56

28

37

25

15

(2)

(2)

180

Other non resident

45

35

28

25

20

(2)

(2)

189

(1) Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.
(2) Suppressed value.

Abortions by grounds and gestation 18 weeks and over( 1) , residents, England and Wales, 2006.
Gestation
Grounds 18 19 20 21 22 23 24+ Total

Section 1(1)(a) and other(2)

1,242

1,021

787

573

485

398

0

4,506

Section 1(1)(d)

115

90

145

181

131

112

136(2)

910

(1) Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.
(2) abortions 24 weeks and over and carried out under sections l(l)(b), l(l)(c) and 1(4) of the Abortion Act are included in total 136.
Section l(l)(a): that the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or any existing children of her family.
Section l(l)(b): that the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
Section l(l)(c): that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated
Section l(l)(d): that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.
Section 1(4): that the termination is immediately necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.

Abortions by marital status and gestation 18 weeks and over( 1) , residents, England and Wales, 2006.
Gestation
Marital status 18 19 20 21 22 23 24+ Total

Single

924

750

625

504

397

349

49

3,598

Married

177

150

154

147

117

99

66

910

Divorced, separated, widowed

34

23

14

(2)

11

(2)

(2)

101

Not known/not stated

222

188

139

(2)

91

(2)

(2)

807

Total

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

(1) Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.
(2) Suppressed value.

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