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1 Nov 2010 : Column 666W—continued

Public Sector: North West

Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change in the number of public sector jobs in (a) Warrington and (b) the North West in each of the next five years. [21168]

Danny Alexander: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) released, as part of its Budget forecasts on 22 June 2010, projections for whole economy employment to 2015-16.

Further information on its employment forecast, including projections for general government employment, was released on 30 June 2010 in its document "OBR forecast: Employment", which can be found on the following webpage:

A revised forecast will be released on 29 November 2010.

The OBR has not published forecasts on a sub-national level.


1 Nov 2010 : Column 667W

Public Sector: Pay

Mr Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of public sector workers earning less than £21,000 per year who will receive a pay rise of at least £250 in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [20094]

Danny Alexander: The Budget announced a two-year pay freeze from 2011-12 for public sector work forces, except for those earning the full-time equivalent of £21,000 or less, who will receive an increase of at least £250 per year. Approximately 1.7 million public sector workers (excluding the devolved Administrations and public corporations), earn £21,000 or less.

For those areas where pay is not set centrally, it will be up to individual employers to determine their own pay policy. Therefore, while the Government will expect similar restraint in these areas, it is not possible to state with certainty the proportion of those public sector workers earning £21,000 or less who will receive £250.

Public Sector: Richmond Park

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the number of public sector jobs in Richmond Park constituency of the reductions in departmental spending announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [20565]

Danny Alexander: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) released, as part of its Budget forecasts on 22 June 2010, projections for whole economy

employment to 2015-16.

Further information on its employment forecast, including projections for general Government employment, was released on 30 June 2010 in its document 'OBR forecast: Employment', which can be found on the following webpage:

A revised forecast will be released on 29 November 2010.

The OBR has not published forecasts on a sub-national level.


1 Nov 2010 : Column 668W

Research and Development Tax Credit

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of research and development credits in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15. [20765]

Justine Greening: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), and I have asked the OBR to reply.

Letter from Robert Chote, dated 1 November 2010:

Working Tax Credit

Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his estimate of the level of savings which will accrue from his proposed changes to the working hours requirement for the working tax credit includes assumptions on behavioural changes. [19842]

Justine Greening: The estimate of the level of savings which will accrue from his proposed changes to the working hour's requirement for couples with children does not include behavioural assumptions.

The policy costings for the Spending Review do not generally include indirect behavioural effects. If the Office for Budget Responsibility judges them to be significant they will be captured in their autumn 2010 economic forecast.


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