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29 Oct 2009 : Column 568W—continued
National Economic Council
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what costs the National Economic Council has incurred since October 2008. [291890]
Tessa Jowell: It is not possible to isolate costs incurred by the National Economic Council. Administration of the Council is one of a range of responsibilities falling to the Economic Policy Coordination Team within the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat in the Cabinet Office.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many times the National Economic Council has met since October 2008. [291892]
Tessa Jowell: The National Economic Council has met regularly since its inception in October 2008. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice and the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet Committees is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Details of the membership and terms of reference of the Committee are available in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Cabinet Office website.
National Economic Council: Arrests
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment she has made of the performance of the National Economic Council in meeting its objectives to date; and if she will make a statement. [291891]
Tessa Jowell: Since its inception in October 2008 the National Economic Council has led the Government's action to support households and businesses in response to the recession and to prepare for a sustainable recovery.
Teenage Pregnancy
Anne Milton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many conceptions and what (a) rate and (b) percentage of conceptions there were for (i) under 18-year-olds and (ii) under 16-year-olds in each (A) strategic health authority area, (B) local authority area and (C) primary care trust area in each quarter from 1998. [295888]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many conceptions and what (a) rate and (b) percentage of conceptions there were for (i) under 18 year olds and (ii) under 16 year olds in each (A) strategic health authority area, (B) local authority area and (C) primary care trust area in each quarter from 1998. (295888)
Figures on conceptions are estimates based on the number of live births, stillbirths or legal abortions. They do not include miscarriages and illegal abortions.
Table 1 provides numbers of conceptions to women aged (i) under 18 by (B) local authority district, for each quarter from 1998 to 2007 (the most recent year for which figures are available). Quarterly figures on conceptions to women aged under 16 are not published in order to protect the privacy of individuals. Rates and percentages by local authority district for each quarter could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
Table 2 provides (a) numbers, (b) percentages and (c) rates for conceptions to women aged (i) under 18 and (ii) under 16 for (A) Strategic Health Authorities for each year from 1998 to 2007.
Table 3a provides (a) numbers and (b) percentages for conceptions to women aged (i) under 18 for (B) local authority districts for each year from 1998 to 2007. Table 3b provides (a) numbers for conceptions to women aged (ii) under 16 for (B) local authority districts in three-year aggregated groups from 1998 to 2006 (the most recent year for which figures are available). Figures on conceptions to women aged under 16 are not published for local authority districts in order to protect the privacy of individuals. To protect the privacy of individuals, some cells in the tables have
been suppressed or geographies collapsed in accordance with ONS guidelines on confidentiality. Details are given on the relevant tables. Further figures could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
Table 4 provides numbers of conceptions to women aged (i) under 18 by (C) primary care organisation for 2007, the only year for which figures are available. Further figures by primary care organisation could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
A copy of the tables has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many pregnancies there were where either the mother or the father was aged (a) 13 and under, (b) 14 or 15 and (c) between 16 and 18 years in each of the last five years. [296491]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated October 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many pregnancies there were where either the mother or the father was aged (a) 13 and under, (b) 14 or 15 and (c) between 16 and 18 years in each of the last five years. (296491)
Figures on conceptions are estimates based on the number of live births, stillbirths or legal abortions. They do not include miscarriages and illegal abortions.
The table below provides the number of conceptions to women aged (a) under 14, (b) 14 or 15 and (c) 16 to 18 years for England and Wales for 2003 to 2007 (the most recent year for which figures are available).
Figures on conceptions by father's age are not available.
| Conceptions( 1 ) to women aged (a) under 14 years( 2) , (b) 14( 2) or 15( 2) years and (c) 16 to 18( 2) years, 2003-2007: England and Wales( 3) Numbers | |||
| Age of women at conception | |||
| (a) Under 14 years | (b) 14 or 15 years | (c) 16 to 18 years | |
| (1) Figures on conceptions are estimates based on the number of live births, stillbirths or legal abortions. They do not include miscarriages and illegal abortions. (2) Age at estimated date of conception. (3) Women usually resident in England and Wales. | |||
Unemployment: Newport Gwent
Jessica Morden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people aged between 16 and 24 years had been unemployed in Newport East constituency for over (a) six and (b) 12 months on the latest date for which figures are available. [295932]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated October 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people aged between 16 and 24 years were unemployed in Newport East constituency for over (a) six and (b) 12 months on the latest date for which figures are available. (295932)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
However, estimates of unemployment for the requested age band and geography are not available. As an alternative, we have provided the number of persons, aged between 16 and 24, claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) in September 2009 for over (a) six months and (b) 12 months, from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system.
In September 2009 the number of persons aged between 16 and 24 claiming JSA resident in the Newport East constituency for (a) over six months was 185 and (b) over 12 months was 10.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at http://www.nomisweb.co.uk.
Vetting: Scotland
Chris Huhne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Government employees in England and Wales were subject to basic disclosure checks undertaken by Disclosure Scotland in each year since 2002. [294162]
Tessa Jowell: Since October 2008 all new Government employees are required to satisfy recruitment controls that include a check of unspent criminal record. It is the responsibility of each individual public sector organisation to ensure these checks take place. The total number of new HMG employees and basic disclosure checks carried out is not collated or held centrally.
International Development
Afghanistan: Overseas Aid
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has given to Sangin district, Helmand province in each of the last five years. [295177]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) works as part of the cross-HMG and multi-national Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Helmand. Sangin benefits from a range of funding sources, both direct and indirect, and through national and regional programmes, so it is not possible to specify the exact amount spent in the district.
DFID has contributed indirectly to Sangin by providing the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) with over £26.5 million since 2003. Two community-selected projects in Sangin worth almost £650,000 are currently nearing completion under MRRD oversight. Sangin has also benefited from the Helmand wheat seed programme. Last year, DFID and the cross-Government Stabilisation Aid Fund (SAF) each contributed £2 million to distribute wheat to 32,000 farmers across Helmand, including 2,000 in Sangin. This year, DFID and the SAF will each contribute £5 million to reach almost 40,000 farmers, including 2,200 in Sangin. SAF funding for stabilisation activities in Sangin last year totalled £1.3 million.
Burma: Overseas Aid
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has provided to emergency relief initiatives to support those affected by the famine in Chin State, Burma, in 2009; and whether he plans to increase that level of assistance in 2010. [296374]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has committed a total of £880,000 for humanitarian assistance in response to severe food shortages in Chin State. Of this commitment, £600,000 was disbursed towards the end of 2008 and £155,000 has been disbursed so far during 2009. We expect to disburse the remaining £125,000 shortly.
We are keeping the humanitarian situation in Chin State under close review and are considering, in consultation with the United Nations and other donors, how best to address longer-term food security needs in Chin State and other parts of Burma.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if his Department will provide assistance to cross-border humanitarian aid initiatives across the India-Burma border, for the purpose of supplying aid to remote parts of Chin State which cannot be reached through in-country initiatives. [296375]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department of International Development (DFID) has no plans to provide funding for cross-border aid from India to Burma.
DFID has committed £880,000 for humanitarian assistance in response to the severe food shortages experienced in Chin State. This assistance is being delivered through the United Nations Development Programme, the World Food Programme and their local partners, which have access to all parts of Chin State from within Burma.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has provided in cross-border humanitarian assistance to eastern Burma in 2009; and whether he plans to increase that level of assistance in 2010. [296376]
Mr. Michael Foster: Approximately £360,000 of funding from the Department for International Development (DFID) is being used by non-governmental organisations to provide cross-border humanitarian assistance from Thailand to eastern Burma in 2009. We anticipate that this figure will increase in 2010.
DFID is also providing approximately £500,000 in 2009 for cross-border aid from China to Shan and Kachin States in north-eastern Burma. Proposals to increase this funding in 2010 are under consideration.
Christmas
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many Christmas functions arranged by his Department (a) he and (b) officials of his Department (i) hosted and (ii) attended in 2008; and if he will make a statement. [295443]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I did not attend or host any Christmas functions in my role as Development Secretary arranged by the Department for International Development.
Records for officials hosting or attending Christmas functions are not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
All expenditure incurred is made in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Indonesia: Earthquakes
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his assessment is of the effectiveness of the operations of the UK search and rescue teams in Pedang, Indonesia following the earthquake there; and if he will make a statement. [296380]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) sent a search and rescue team to Pedang in response to a request from the Government of Indonesia for international search and rescue help. The team were able to undertake several vital tasks, using their skills and equipment to help guide the overall search and rescue effort, investigate otherwise unsurveyed areas outside Pedang city and advise on problems such as the safety of damaged buildings and recovery of victims. Further information on how the UK is responding to the earthquake is available on the DFID website:
Overseas Aid: Rescue Services
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what search and rescue missions to non-EU countries were undertaken by the Urban Rescue Team with UK registered search and rescue dogs in each of the last five years. [296379]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has been involved with two missions that have used UK registered search and rescue dogs. These were following the earthquakes in Pakistan in 2005 and in Indonesia this October. DFID does not have a record of all occasions that UK registered search and rescue dogs have been deployed.
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