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18 Feb 2008 : Column 359W—continued


Table 2: International migration, asylum seeker adjustment( 1) flows and as a percentage of Total International Migration (TIM), time series 1997 to 2006( 2) , United Kingdom
Thousand
Asylum seekers adjustment TIM( 3) Asylum seekers adjustment as percentage of TIM
Inflow Out- flow Net Inflow Out- flow Net Inflow Out- flow Net( 4)

1997

34

10

24

327

279

48

10

4

50

1998

51

10

41

391

251

140

13

4

29

1999

80

8

72

454

291

163

18

3

44

2000

92

10

81

479

321

158

19

3

51

2001

84

18

66

479

306

173

18

6

38

2002

96

21

75

513

358

154

19

6

49

2003

54

17

37

508

361

147

11

5

25

2004

36

16

21

586

342

244

6

5

8

2005

26

16

11

563

359

204

5

4

5

2006

23

17

6

591

400

191

4

4

3

Notes: 1. These figures are a statistical adjustment, not estimates of asylum seekers. Those migrants captured by the International Passenger Survey (IPS) stating the reason for visit as “to seek asylum” are excluded from these calculations to avoid double counting. 2. Several improvements have been made to the data sources and methods used in the estimation of the asylum seeker adjustment between 1997 and 2006. These figures are produced using the best available data and methods for each year. 3. Total International Migration (TIM) is the most comprehensive estimate of migration. It is based mainly on the IPS but also includes estimates of Irish flows supplied by the Irish Central Statistics Office, and adjustments for asylum seekers not captured in the IPS and for “switchers” (i.e. those whose migration intentions are not realised). 4. We recommend looking at the inflow and outflow proportions as the net proportion could be highly misleading. For example, should outflows of asylum seekers exceed inflows this would show as a negative percentage. If TIM net migration were zero, this would show as an infinite percentage. Source: Office for National Statistics.

18 Feb 2008 : Column 360W

Mortgages: Repossession Orders

Robert Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley of 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 1126W, on mortgages: repossession orders, what assessment the Government have made of the reasons for the change in the number of mortgage possession orders from 2002 to 2006. [184063]

Angela Eagle: The Ministry of Justice publishes figures for the numbers of possession orders made by county courts. The Government's assessment of personal debt and its proposals for tackling problem debt can be found in the Government's annual reports on tackling over-indebtedness, available at:

National Insurance

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the minimum age is at which an individual can be issued with a national insurance number. [185218]

Jane Kennedy: The minimum age at which an individual can be issued with a national insurance number (NINO) is 15 years nine months.

National Insurance Fund

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the balance of the National Insurance Fund was in excess of the minimum balance required in relation to benefit spending in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement; [180104]

(2) what estimate was made by the Government Actuary of the minimum balance required in the National Insurance Fund in relation to benefit spending in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [180105]

Jane Kennedy [holding answer 21 January 2008]: The information requested is shown in the following table in respect of the GB National Insurance Fund:

£ billion
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

Balance on fund

7.7

9.6

12.3

14.4

19.3

23.6

26.5

27.1

29.1

34.3

Minimum balance required

6.9

7.1

7.4

7.7

7.9

8.4

8.8

9.2

9.5

10.0

Excess

0.8

2.5

4.9

6.7

11.4

15.2

17.7

17.9

19.6

24.3


18 Feb 2008 : Column 361W

When there is a surplus it is invested. NICs and associated social security benefits operate within the Government’s fiscal rules designed to ensure sound public finances. Any surplus of NICs over social security benefits (the NI Fund surplus) in any one year is not therefore an extra resource available to spend.

The minimum operating balance recommended by the Government Actuary is one sixth of annual benefit payments. Figures for the minimum balance shown in the table are based on actual benefit payments made in each year. Estimated levels of benefit payments are published annually by the Government Actuary’s Department in reports on up-rating orders, copies of which are in the Library.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive the next quinquennial review of the National Insurance Fund. [185395]

Jane Kennedy: There is no firm date for publication but the Acting Government Actuary has confirmed that the review should be published later this year.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he has received from the Acting Government Actuary on the minimum recommended balance in the National Insurance Fund. [185405]

Jane Kennedy: The latest report by the Acting Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2008 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating) Order 2008 (Cm 7312) was published on 23 January 2008. The Acting Government Actuary states that his predecessor recommended that the minimum balance in the National Insurance Fund should be one-sixth (16.7 per cent.) of estimated annual benefit expenditure. The report confirms that the balance in the fund is expected to be greater than the minimum recommended in 2008-09.

Parkinson’s Disease: Death

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people died from Parkinson’s disease in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. [186960]

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 18 February 2008:


18 Feb 2008 : Column 362W
Table 1. Number of deaths from Parkinson’s disease,( 1) Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside local authority, North East government office region, and UK, 1997-2006( 2,3,4)
Deaths (persons)
Jarrow South Tyneside North East UK

1997

6

8

109

2,917

1998

6

6

98

2,976

1999

3

4

106

3,072

2000

6

11

131

3,007

2001

5

7

171

4,275

2002

7

12

228

4,464

2003

6

13

215

4,759

2004

9

19

217

4,287

2005

6

10

220

4,507

2006

10

15

222

4,444

(1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 332.0 from 1997 to 2000 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and from 1997 to 1999 for Scotland, and the Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code G20 from 2001 to 2006 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and from 2000 to 2006 for Scotland. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2000 for Scotland, and 2001 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland means that the numbers of deaths from this cause for earlier years are not comparable with those for later years.
(2) Based on parliamentary constituency and local authority boundaries as of 2007.
(3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
(4 )Figures include data provided by the Registrars General for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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