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19 Nov 2007 : Column 575W—continued

Vocational Training

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of employers in England were involved in (a) 16+ apprenticeships and (b) Train to Gain in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08; and what proportion were engaged in both 16+ apprenticeships and Train to Gain in each year. [164201]


19 Nov 2007 : Column 576W

Mr. Lammy: In 2006 there were an estimated 130,000 employers involved in apprenticeships in England and 48,730 employers have been involved in Train to Gain between its introduction in April 2006 and July 2007. Figures are not available for individual years and for employers involved in both Train to Gain and Apprenticeships at this time. According to Small and Medium Enterprise Statistics published by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, in 2005 there were around one million businesses with one or more employees in England.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of conducting an audit of skills in England. [165159]

Bill Rammell: Understanding and addressing our nation's current and future skills needs is vital to the productivity and competitiveness of our economy. Lord Leitch's independent review, “Prosperity for all in the Global Economy: world class skills”, published in December 2006 constituted an unprecedented analysis of the UK's current and future skills needs at the whole-economy level. The Government accepted the ambition recommended by Lord Leitch that we should aim to be a world leader on skills by 2020, benchmarked against the upper quartile of OECD countries, and in July we published “World Class Skills”, setting out how we would deliver that ambition.

We have now set stretching targets for the progress we want to make by 2011, set out in the Delivery Agreement for the new Skills PSA target. We will monitor progress towards those target indicators and against our objectives through regular reporting mechanisms including the Labour Force Survey, a Skills for Life Survey and the Learning and Skills Council's National Employers Skills Survey.

Once it is fully operational next year, the new UK Commission for Employment and Skills will also play an important role in maintaining an overview of progress towards our world class skills ambitions in England.

Prime Minister

Departmental Accountability

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what steps he intends to take to improve (a) his accountability as Prime Minister and (b) the accountability of his Office; [165590]

(2) if he will issue advice to officials drafting written parliamentary answers to (a) draw attention to the need to respond to questions tabled as if they were requests submitted under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (b) to be as helpful as possible to hon. Members soliciting information; [165591]

(3) pursuant to the answers of 13 November, Official Report, columns 229-30W, on departmental visits, and column 232W on Tony Blair, what account he took of the Ministerial Code when supplying the answers; and what assessment he has made of the compliance of his answers with his stated objective that the Executive should treat Parliament with greater respect. [165594]


19 Nov 2007 : Column 577W

The Prime Minister: In accordance with the Ministerial Code, Ministers are accountable for the decisions and actions of their Departments, including answers to parliamentary questions.

Departmental Official Engagements

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister which (a) individuals and (b) organisations he met in the week commencing 5 November, excluding Ministers and officials. [165592]

The Prime Minister: My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.

Diego Garcia: USA

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to ensure that there is a parliamentary debate before any decision is taken on whether to allow the US Administration to use Diego Garcia in any planned strikes against Iran. [165084]

The Prime Minister: We are fully committed to a negotiated solution and are working to ensure that this difficult issue will be resolved through diplomacy. The Government always ensure that any use of their bases is in accordance with international law.

Mass Media

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister which (a) newspaper proprietors, (b) newspaper editors and (c) chairmen and chief executives of broadcasting organisations he has met since assuming office. [165593]

The Prime Minister: My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.

Michael Ashcroft

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the No. 10 Downing street press notice of 31 March 2000, what form Michael Ashcroft's clear and unequivocal assurance took that he would take up permanent residence in the UK prior to his introduction to the House of Lords. [165028]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the press notice issued on 31 March 2000.

Ministers: Codes of Practice

Mr. Burns: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 12 November 2007, Official Report, column 74W, on Ministers: codes of practice, if he will clarify which part of his answer related to the application of the rules in the Ministerial Code. [164690]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 12 November 2007, Official Report, column 74W.


19 Nov 2007 : Column 578W

Security Guards: Licensing

David Davis: To ask the Prime Minister when the Secretary of State for the Home Department first made him aware that at least 5,000 licences had been granted by the Security Industry Authority to applicants not legally entitled to work in the UK. [165892]

The Prime Minister: I refer the right hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) and the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) at Prime Minister's questions on Wednesday 14 November 2007.

Wales

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Prime Minister when he last visited Wales; and when he next expects to visit Wales. [165413]

The Prime Minister: A list of my UK visits will be published in the usual way following the end of the financial year.

Treasury

Alcohol-related Deaths: Hemel Hempstead

Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths where alcohol was the primary cause there were in (a) Dacorum and (b) Hemel Hempstead constituency in each of the last five years. [164118]

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 November 2007:

Table 1: Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death( 1) , Dacorum local authority and Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency( 2,3) , 2002 to 2006( 4)
Deaths (persons)
Dacorum Hemel Hempstead

2002

19

12

2003

10

3

2004

11

7

2005

18

11

2006

21

15

(1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the box below.
(2) Based on boundaries as of 2007.
(3) Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency is wholly contained within the boundaries of Dacorum local authority.
(4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

19 Nov 2007 : Column 579W

Box 1. Alcohol-related causes of death - International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)
Cause of death ICD-10 code(s)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol

F10

Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol

G31.2

Alcoholic polyneuropathy

G62.1

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy

I42.6

Alcoholic gastritis

K29.2

Alcoholic liver disease

K70

Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified

K73

Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. Biliary cirrhosis)

K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5)

Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis

K86.0

Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol

X45

Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol

X65

Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent

Y15


Capital Gains Tax

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many business owners have received capital gains tax taper relief since 1998. [164472]

Jane Kennedy [holding answer 15 November 2007]: It is not possible to disaggregate the information requested from central data sources.

Colorectal Cancer

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were diagnosed with bowel cancer in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north east and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. [165321]

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 November 2007:


19 Nov 2007 : Column 580W
Table 1. Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of bowel cancers( 1) : Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside county district, north east government office region and United Kingdom, 1997 to 2004
Jarrow South Tyneside North east United Kingdom

1997

62

108

1,651

35,220

1998

54

111

1,741

35,731

1999

77

116

1,799

36,236

2000

68

122

1,772

36,071

2001

67

113

1,762

35,310

2002

63

133

1,781

35,119

2003

46

88

1,713

35,675

2004

66

135

1,766

36,109

(1 )Bowel cancer is defined as code C18-C21 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).
Source:
Office for National Statistics
Welsh Cancer Intelligence & Surveillance Unit.
Scottish Cancer Registry, National Health Service in Scotland.
Northern Ireland Cancer Registry

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