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thousand
	2004		2005		2006		2007
	Unemployed	Inactive	Unemployed	Inactive	Unemployed	Inactive	Unemployed	Inactive
16-19
Male	7	26	11	35	9	39	12	35
Female	5	31	6	32	4	32	11	30
20-24
Male	3	14	5	24	13	21	13	17
Female	8	32	5	29	5	26	6	31
25-29
Male	3	5	4	13	10	9	4	5
Female	2	21	3	16	2	19	2	23
30-34
Male	2	12	2	6	3	7	(3)—	7
Female	3	27	2	24	2	22	(3)—	21
35-39
Male	2	9	3	8	3	9	2	9
Female	4	25	2	24	4	26	5	21
40-44
Male	3	14	4	13	3	9	3	9
Female	1	21	1	26	5	24	3	27
45-49
Male	2	12	3	9	2	11	3	10
Female	2	21	(3)—	21	2	21	5	20
50-54
Male	3	13	3	16	2	15	3	18
Female	2	28	(3)—	25	2	26	(3)—	25
55-59
Male	(3)—	30	2	34	2	26	3	27
Female	2	45	(3)—	48	2	42	2	45
60-64
Male	(3)—	45	(3)—	45	1	45	(3)—	45
(1) Men aged 16 to 64 and Women aged 16 to 59. (2) Comparable estimates are not available for 1998 and 2000. (3) Sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

VAT

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average time for a new applicant to be registered for VAT in the last three-month period for which figures are available. [164456]

Jane Kennedy: The average processing times for VAT registration applications for the latest three-month period is as follows:

Period	Average time taken in days
August 2007	42
September 2007	39
October 2007	28

These latest figures represent an upturn in HMRC performance, and this is an early sign that the improvement measures that are now in place are starting to have an impact. This upturn has taken place against an operational background that continues to present challenges, and alongside the ongoing need to operate pre-registration checks against serious abuse such as Missing Trader Intra-Community (MTIC) fraud.

15 Nov 2007 : Column 409W

Welfare Tax Credits

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overpayments resulted from tax credit office error in each year since 2003; and of these how many are deemed recoverable. [163506]

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the evidence given to the Treasury Select Committee on 14 March 2007 in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Jim Cousins).

HM Revenue and Customs has been collecting information on official error in disputed overpayment cases since April 2007. For the first part of 2007-08 the proportion of cases with an element of official error remains at around 5 per cent. Of the official error cases identified, more than three quarters have had their overpayment remitted.

Children, Schools and Families

Academies

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities have agreed co-sponsorship arrangements under the academies programme. [163385]

Jim Knight: The following local authorities have agreed to co-sponsor academies:

Cheshire County Council;

Corporation of London;

Coventry City Council;

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea;

Kent County Council;

Manchester City Council;

Sunderland City Council;

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