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29 Oct 2007 : Column 780W—continued


Between 1996-97 and 2005-06 pensioners' incomes increased by 29 per cent. in real terms, compared with a 15 per cent. real terms increase in utility bills between 1996-97 and 2006. It is important to note that while pensioner incomes tend to increase consistently, with two per cent. growth between 2004-05 and 2005-06 building on the growth in earlier years, utility bills tend to fluctuate.


29 Oct 2007 : Column 781W

Winter Fuel Payments: Bolsover

Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners received the winter fuel allowance in Bolsover constituency in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004, (d) 2005 and (e) 2006. [161445]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Information relating to winter fuel payments from winter 2001-02 is in the following table.

Bolsover constituency
Payments made

2001-02

18,600

2002-03

18,950

2003-04

19,230

2004-05

19,180

2005-06

19,380

2006-07

19,690

Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. Source: Information directorate 100 per cent data.

Winter Fuel Payments: Ribble Valley

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims for winter fuel payments were made in Ribble Valley constituency in each year since their introduction. [161148]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Information relating to winter fuel payments for the winters of 1997-98 and 1998-99 is not available. The information from winter 1999-2000 is in the following table.

Ribble Valley Constituency
Payments made

1999-2000

17,710

2000-01

19,960

2001-02

20,380

2002-03

20,990

2003-04

21,580

2004-05

21,910

2005-06

22,290

2006-07

22,880

Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. Source: Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

Worklessness

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the oral answer of 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 3, to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on worklessness, how many of the 800,000 people referred to were from EU member states; and if he will break down the number of such workers by nationality. [157708]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 15 October 2007]: The following table gives the net change in the number of non-UK, EU nationals in employment in 2007
29 Oct 2007 : Column 782W
compared with 1997. The total net increase is 524,000 rounded to the nearest thousand. The totals for the EU as a whole are not equal to the sum of the numbers shown for individual countries because for some EU member states the sample sizes are too small to make an estimate of those in employment at an individual country level.

This figure compares with a net increase of foreign nationals in employment in this period of 1.1 million. As stated in PQ/07/157946, the 1.1 million figure is derived from the 0.8 million figure being revised to 1.1 million and the addition of 0.05 million foreign nationals in employment in 2007 who were in the United Kingdom in 1997 but not then in employment.

A note placed in the Library in response to PQ/07/157946 provides a broader context for changes in employment since 1997.

Number in employment
Nationality 1997 2007 net change

Austria

4,000

5,000

1,000

Belgium

3,000

13,000

11,000

Bulgaria

(1)

11,000

(1)

Cyprus

(1)

(1)

(1)

Czech Republic

6,000

21,000

16,000

Denmark

7,000

9,000

2,000

Estonia

(1)

(1)

(1)

Finland

2,000

3,000

1,000

France

35,000

77,000

42,000

Germany

30,000

48,000

17,000

Greece

6,000

16,000

11,000

Hungary

(1)

14,000

(1)

Ireland

234,000

192,000

- 42,000

Italy

43,000

49,000

6,000

Latvia

(1)

8,000

(1)

Lithuania

(1)

37,000

(1)

Luxembourg

(1)

(1)

(1)

Malta

5,000

3,000

- 2,000

Netherlands

18,000

25,000

7,000

Poland

6,000

292,000

286,000

Portugal

14,000

50,000

37,000

Romania

(1)

14,000

(1)

Slovakia

(1)

34,000

(1)

Slovenia

(1)

(1)

(1)

Spain

24,000

36,000

11,000

Sweden

11,000

15,000

4,000

All

453,000

977,000

524,000

(1) Where sample size is too small to report a robust estimate, we are unable to report a net change where the estimate in at least one period is not robust.
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000.
2. These figures are subject to seasonal variation and fluctuate to some extent from quarter to quarter.
3. As these figures are based on a sample survey they are also subject to sampling variability.
4. It should be noted that the nationality question in the LFS is an undercount because:
it excludes those who have not been resident in the UK for six months
it excludes students in halls who do not have a UK resident parent
it excludes people in most other types of communal establishments (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites, etc.)
it is grossed to population estimates that only include migrants staying for 12 months or more
Source:
Labour Force Survey, Q2 1997, Q2 2007.

29 Oct 2007 : Column 783W

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 3, on worklessness, if he will place in the Library the information and sources that account for his statement that 800,000 new jobs have been taken by those who have come from outside Britain. [157946]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 15 October 2007]: The figure of 0.8 million was a calculation of the number of foreign nationals estimated to have arrived in the United Kingdom since 1997 and be in employment (1.4 million) less the number of foreign nationals in employment in 1997 who are no longer in employment (or no longer foreign nationals) (0.6
29 Oct 2007 : Column 784W
million). Using a revised methodology we now estimate the net difference to be 1.1 million rather than 0.8 million.

In addition, there are an estimated 0.05 million foreign nationals in employment in 2007 who were in the United Kingdom in 1997 but not in employment. Adding this figure to the 1.1 million gives a total net increase of foreign nationals in employment of 1.1 million rounded to the nearest 100,000, as set out in the answer to PQ/07/158012.

A note placed in the Library provides an explanation of both the methodology and the sources used, as well as a broader context for changes in employment since 1997.


29 Oct 2007 : Column 785W

Written Answers to Questions

Monday 29 October 2007

Innovation, Universities and Skills

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council: Information Officers

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many press officers are employed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. [154480]

Ian Pearson: The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) employs one full-time press officer and one full-time assistant press officer.


29 Oct 2007 : Column 786W

Further Education: Disabled

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what average fees were charged to individuals claiming incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or disability living allowance for each course taken by them at further education colleges in each year since 1997. [156959]

Bill Rammell: Adult learners on low incomes who are in receipt of income based benefits continue to be entitled to full fee remission for further education, along with those undertaking basic skills courses, first full level 2 qualifications and 19 to 25-year-olds undertaking first full level 3 qualifications. Individuals claiming IB, SDA or DLA falling within these categories are not charged a fee for further education. On the basis of information provided by the LSC, the following table sets out the average fee contribution charged to all adult learners not entitled to free further education provision, whether or not they were claiming IB, SDA or DLA, The figures show the position since 2004. Mark Haysom, the LSC’s Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information for the years between 1997/98 and 2003/04. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

National fee contribution rate (%) Average total fee paid for course of 60-89 glh (£) Average total fee paid for course of 120-149 glh (£) Average total fee paid for course of 240-269 glh (£) Average total fee paid for course of 480-509 glh (£)

2004/05

25

92.34

170.48

236.50

598.45

2005/06

27.5

106.66

196.90

330.90

691.20

2006/07

32.5

130.33

240.61

404.37

844.66

2007/08

37.5

152.81

282.10

474.08

990.28

2008/09

42.5

177.51

327.71

550.72

1,150.38

2009/10

47.5

203.36

375.42

630.90

1,317.86

2010/11

50

219.41

405.05

680.71

1,421.90


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