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28 Jan 2008 : Column 123W—continued
Income: Tyne and Wear
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average household income was in Houghton and Washington, East constituency in each year since 1997. [181551]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 28 January 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, asking what the average household income was in Houghton and Washington East constituency in each year since 1997 (181551).
The table below shows average net household incomes for Houghton and Washington East constituency for 2001/02 and 2004/05, both before and after housing costs. For comparison, estimates of average income for either Great Britain or the UK
have also been provided. These are based on the “Households Below Average Income” series which is produced using the Family Resources Survey. There are no figures available for other years.
| Average weekly household income( 1, 2, 3) | ||
| Per week | ||
| Net weekly equivalised household income (before housing costs)( 4) | Net weekly equivalised household Income (after housing costs)( 4) | |
| (1) Due to changes in methodology these two estimates do not provide a reliable estimate of the change between 2001-02 and 2004-05. Estimates have not been adjusted for inflation. (2 )Net income is gross income minus income tax payments, national insurance contributions, contributions to occupational pension schemes, all maintenance and child support payments. (3) Figures rounded to the nearest 10. (4) Housing costs include rent (gross of housing benefit), water charges, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance, ground rent and service charges. Source: ONS, Department for Work and Pensions. | ||
Multiple Occupation: Licensing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider introducing performance measures for HM Revenue and Customs officers on proactive engagement with enforcement officers implementing the National Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation. [182459]
Jane Kennedy: HMRC's remit does not include supporting enforcement officers from local authorities implementing the National Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation.
Northern Rock
Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future of the Northern Rock Foundation in the event of the nationalisation of Northern Rock bank. [182155]
Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement the Chancellor made on 21 January 2008, Official Report, columns 1207-24.
Personal Savings
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to encourage saving to reduce the credit deficit; and if he will make a statement. [181630]
Angela Eagle:
Since 1997, the Government have sought to support saving and asset ownership for all, from childhood, through working life and into retirement. The Government have introduced Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) to develop and
extend the saving habit, which from April 2008 will be made simpler, more flexible and more generous. The Government have also introduced the Child Trust Fund, which will ensure that all children will hold a financial asset at the age of 18, and have piloted the Saving Gateway with feasibility work into the system requirements to enable wider introduction now being taken forward. Personal Accounts will enable individuals on low to medium incomes to save in a pension over their working lives.
Registration of Births Deaths Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Data Protection
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he held with the (a) British Banking Association, (b) Building Societies Association and (c) Council of Mortgage Lenders on safeguarding data provided under the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007 to prevent its use for fraudulent purposes. [180898]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, 28 January 2008:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking what discussions were held with the (a) British Banking Association, (b) Building Societies Association and (c) Council of Mortgage Lenders on safeguarding data provided under the Supply of Information (Registration of Deaths) Regulations 2007 to prevent its use for fraudulent purposes. (180898)
The British Banking Association, Building Societies Association and Council of Mortgage Lenders were invited to respond to the Disclosure of Death Registration Information consultation which was published in December 2006. The British Banking Association and the Building Societies Association responded to the consultation, their responses have been published on the GRO website. The consultation included information on the requirement for organisations to meet security standards as part of a compliance regime to be implemented with the scheme.
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to inform the public about the disclosure of death registration data under the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007. [180899]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, 28 January 2008:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question about the plans to inform the public about the disclosure of death registration data under the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007. (180899)
A press release was issued on 16 January 2008 to all national and regional newspapers within the UK, and to all social affairs and home affairs correspondents.
Details of the scheme, and how to apply for the data, can be found on the website of the General Register Office (GRQ) for England and Wales. Links to this website can also be found on the websites of GRO Northern Ireland and GRO Scotland.
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what safeguards he has put in place to ensure that death registration data disclosed under the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007 will not be available to those not entitled to it. [180900]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, 28 January 2008:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question about the safeguards that will be put in place to ensure that death registration data disclosed under the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007 will not be available to those not entitled to it. (180900)
Applicants for the data will be subject to a rigorous two stage application process to ensure that they will be using the data lawfully and that they adhere to the appropriate physical and data security standards for its receipt, access and processing. Data will be encrypted and transferred from GRO to a named individual in each organisation by secure courier.
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held with the devolved Administrations on the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007. [180901]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 28 January 2008:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about any discussions held with the devolved administrations on the Supply of Information (Register of Death) Regulations 2007. (180901)
The Registrars General for England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have introduced the Disclosure of Death Registration Information Scheme jointly in order that customers can receive death information for all of the UK. The Registrars General for Northern Ireland and Scotland have discussed the scheme accordingly with Ministers in the devolved administrations throughout its development.
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether written Ministerial approval is required to authorise the release of death registration data under the terms of the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007. [180902]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 28 January 2008:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about whether written Ministerial approval is required to authorise the release of death registration data under the terms of the Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) Regulations 2007. (180902)
The regulations required approval by the Chancellor of the Exchequer; the decision on whether to release data to any of the organisations named within the regulations is within the powers of the Registrar General.
Taxation: Gaming
John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what factors he takes into consideration when determining the tax rate for gaming products; [181558]
(2) if he will apply a zero-rate VAT liability to the bingo industry; [181697]
(3) what plans he has to amend the taxation and duties payable by (a) bookmakers, (b) bingo operators and (c) gaming machines operators. [181969]
Angela Eagle: The Government consider all relevant factors when establishing and maintaining fair regimes for the gambling taxes. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review and decisions about gambling taxation are made at Budget alongside all other tax decisions.
Unemployment: Easington
John Cummings: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) 16 to 18 and (b) 18 to 24-year-old people are unemployed in Easington constituency; and if he will make a statement. [182375]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 28 January 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many 16 to 18 and 18 to 24 year old people are employed in Easington constituency; and if he will make a statement. (182375).
The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
Table 1 attached provides estimates based on people aged 16-17 and 18-24, in employment, resident in Easington, for the 12 months ending June 2007, from the latest available data from the APS. The corresponding employment rate for persons in the 16-17 age group is unavailable. In the 18-24 age group the rate is 79 per cent for the 12 months ending June 2007.
As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
| Table 1: employment in Easington for the 12 months ending June 2007 | ||
| Age | Level (thousand) | Rate (percentage) |
| (1) Estimates not available since the group sample size is too small. Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Source: Annual Population Survey; ONS | ||
Welfare Tax Credits
Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many and what percentage of tax credit claimants have been overpaid more than once since their claim began; [181469]
(2) how many and what percentage of tax credit claimants have been underpaid more than once since their claim began. [181470]
Jane Kennedy: Tax credits are designed to be responsive to changes in a family's circumstances There will be an under or overpayment at the end of the year if changes are not reported or processed promptly. The Government announced a package of measures at the Pre-Budget Report 2005 to ensure the system strikes the right balance between providing a stable award and maintaining the ability to respond to changes. Once fully implemented this package is expected to reduce the level of overpayments by around a third.
The number and proportion of tax credit awards with more than one overpayment or underpayment, between 2003-04 and 2005-06, is detailed in the following table:
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