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19 Oct 2007 : Column 1357W—continued
When interpreting these figures, it is important to bear in mind that the Labour Force Survey (LFS) is designed to capture all people in the UK living in a private household or NHS accommodation. Some UK residents are not captured by the LFS including students living in halls of residence who do not have a UK-resident parent, and people living in other types of communal establishment (such as hostels, hotels, boarding houses, or mobile home sites). These factors may contribute to the LFS giving a slight underestimate of the foreign born population as a proportion of the total UK population.
As with any sample survey, LFS estimates are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Taxation: Bingo
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to meet representatives of the Bingo Association to discuss the taxation regime which applies to its members; [158574]
(2) for what reason bingo operators have to pay both value added tax and gross profits tax; [158575]
(3) if he will commission a review of the taxation regime applying to the bingo industry. [158576]
Angela Eagle: The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review and decisions about gambling taxation are made at Budget alongside all tax and spending decisions. The Government take all relevant factors into consideration when establishing and maintaining fair regimes for gambling taxes.
As part of the normal Budget process Ministers and officials have been in periodic contact with representatives of the bingo industry and will continue to meet them as part of the normal Budget process.
Teenage Pregnancy: Greater London
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many conceptions among girls under 18 years old occurred in each London constituency in 2005. [158989]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated October 2007:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many conceptions among girls under 18 years old occurred in each London constituency in 2005. (158989)
Conception figures for girls aged under 18 are routinely published by local authorities and strategic health authorities. Figures cannot be provided by Parliamentary Constituency because of the risk of disclosing individual’s information, due to small differences between the Parliamentary Constituency and local authority boundaries.
The number and rate of conceptions to girls aged under 18 in each London Borough for 2005 are shown in the attached table. Figures for 2005 are provisional.
Available figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or legal termination.
| Conceptions to girls aged under 18: Numbers and rates by area of usual residence. London boroughs, 2005( 1) | ||
| London borough | Number | Rate( 2) |
| (1) Figures for 2005 are provisional. (2) Rate per 1,000 females aged 15-17. Note: To preserve confidentiality, counts for the City of London have been combined with those for Hackney LB. | ||
Duchy of Lancaster
Defence Export Services Organisation
Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations were undertaken before the decision was made to move the Defence Export Services Organisation into UK Trade and Investment. [156170]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 September 2007, Official Report, column 2172W, to the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth).
Olympic Games: Greater London
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics when she expects the Olympic Delivery Authority's budget to be announced. [157732]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 15 October 2007]: On 15 March 2007, Official Report, column 450, I announced an Olympic Delivery Authority budget of £.3 billion (net of tax). This formed part of the overall funding provision for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games of £9.325 billion.
International Development
Amnesty International: Abortion
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received from Amnesty International on abortion-related issues; and if he will make a statement. [158365]
Mr. Malik: I have received no recent representations from Amnesty International on abortion-related issues.
DFID believes that no woman should die or suffer because of unsafe abortion. Abortion should not be promoted as a form of family planning. But if women seek abortion through failure of contraception or lack of control over the circumstances in which they become pregnant, abortion should be available, safe and linked to post-abortion care, including contraception and HIV prevention services. This is in line with the consensus agreed at the International Conference for Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994.
Sexual and reproductive health is an essential element of good health and human development. More progress is needed on sexual and reproductive health to meet many of the millennium development goals, particularly those concerned with child and maternal health, HIV and AIDS and other communicable diseases, gender equality and achieving universal primary education.
Departments: Marie Stopes International Conference
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the Ministers from his Department who will be (a) attending and (b) speaking at the Marie Stopes International Conference being held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on 23 to 24 October; whether his Department will be contributing (i) direct funding, (ii) informal support and (iii) personnel; whether there are restrictions on the use of these contributions; whether officials from his Department will (1) attend and (2) participate; if he will place in the Library material produced for the conference by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [158371]
Mr. Malik: DFID officials will be participating in the Marie Stopes international global safe abortion conference. However no DFID Ministers will be attending or speaking at the conference. DFID is not providing funding, informal support or producing any material for the Conference.
DFID believes that no woman should die or suffer because of unsafe abortion. Abortion should not be promoted as a form of family planning. But if women seek abortion through failure of contraception or lack of control over the circumstances in which they become pregnant, abortion should be available, safe and linked to post-abortion care, including contraception and HIV prevention services. This is in line with the consensus agreed at the International Conference for Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994.
Sexual and reproductive health is an essential element of good health and human development. More progress is needed on sexual and reproductive health to meet many of the millennium development goals, particularly those concerned with child and maternal health, HIV and AIDS and other communicable diseases, gender equality and achieving universal primary education.
Developing Countries: Health Education
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the role of sexual and reproductive health education in achieving the sixth millennium development goal, of combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. [157960]
Mr. Malik: Education, including sexual and reproductive health education, is one of the most significant factors in preventing the spread of HIV in the next generation. In Swaziland, two-thirds of teenage girls in school are free from HIV, while two-thirds of girls out of school have HIV. Girls, boys and adults with more education are more likely to have knowledge of key prevention techniques, including condoms to help prevent HIV infection and insecticide impregnated bed nets to prevent malaria infection, and more able to persuade their partners, and in the case of bed nets, families, to use them.
DFID has funded two major research programmes that included assessing the impact of sexual and reproductive health education. These are the 'Safe passages to adulthood' programme at Southampton university (with a £2 million grant) and the Transitions to Adulthood' programme, run by then Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) and the Population Council (with a £5 million DFID grant). Early AGI findings from research in four developing countries (Burkina Faso, Malawi, Ghana and Uganda) demonstrate that the impact of sex education varies with the country and cultural context, as well as with methods of teaching used. In Uganda, for example, there was 8.5 times the use of condoms among those that had sex education, compared to those that did not. However, this finding was not replicated in all contexts. 40 per cent. of women who had been given a practical demonstration on how to use a condom reported using one at their last sexual encounter, whereas only 30 per cent. who had not received the demonstration reported using a condom.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of sexual and reproductive health education in developing countries. [157961]
Mr. Malik: DFID has funded two major research programmes that included assessing the impact of sexual and reproductive health education. These are the 'Safe passages to adulthood' programme at Southampton university (with a £2 million grant) and the Transitions to Adulthood' programme, run by then Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) and the Population Council (with a £5 million DFID grant). Early AGI findings from research in four developing countries (Burkina Faso, Malawi, Ghana and Uganda) demonstrate that the impact of sex education varies with the country and cultural context, as well as with methods of teaching used. In Uganda, for example, there was 8.5 times the use of condoms among those that had sex education, compared to those that did not. However, this finding was not replicated in all contexts. 40 per cent. of women who had been given a practical demonstration on how to use a condom reported using one at their last sexual encounter, whereas only 30 per cent. who had not received the demonstration reported using a condom.
A special issue of the African Journal of Reproductive Health, ‘Protecting the next generation', providing evidence from the AGI work will be published later this year.
Education, including sexual and reproductive health education, is one of the most significant factors in preventing the spread of HIV in the next generation.
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