| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Written Answers
Tuesday, 24th September 2002.
FCO: Assets of Cultural Significance
Lord Freyberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Amos on 2 May (WA 135), what plans they have to sell any of the antiques or cultural assets held in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office buildings in London and at posts overseas.[HL5394]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in the process of disposing of a small number of antique and reproduction pieces in the UK. These are not considered to be historically important to the FCO. Proceeds will be used to purchase modern furniture which conforms with current health and safety regulations and is more suited to the demands of IT working.
Commonwealth Prime Ministers: Personal Profiles
Earl Russell asked her Majesty's Government:
- How many Commonwealth Prime Ministers since 1945 had, before they came into office, been sentenced to imprisonment by British authorities; and how many of these sentences were—
(a) of less than two years' detention;
(b) of more than two years' detention; and
(c) of indeterminate length.[HL5664]
Baroness Amos: An answer to the question would require compilation of the personal profiles of all Commonwealth Prime Ministers since 1945; searches through domestic criminal records in the UK and its overseas territories (involving work by Home Office/Attorney-General's Office/Lord Chancellor's Department); searches through all relevant Colonial and India Office records from 1945 onwards.
Such information is not held centrally and the cost to undertake the necessary research would be disproportionate.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why there is no reference to an ethical dimension to foreign policy in the list of objectives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office contained within the HM Treasury document 2002 Spending Review: Public Service Agreements 2003–2006 (Cm 5571).[HL5754]
24 Sept 2002 : Column WA180
Baroness Amos: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's objectives describe what the FCO aims to achieve across the full range of its activities. The Government continue to put human rights at the heart of their foreign policy. This is evident in many of the latest objectives, just as it was in the objectives for the 2000 Spending Review period.
Labour Market: 18–24 year olds
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many new entrants aged 18–24 there were in the United Kingdom labour markets in 2001; and in each of the following years: 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996; and[HL5612]
When they last published figures on new entrants aged 18–24 to the United Kingdom labour market; and when they intend to publish such figures again.[HL5615]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter to Baroness Greengross from the National Statistician and Registrar General, Len Cook, dated July 2002.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions about new entrants to the United Kingdom labour market aged 18–24. (HL5612 and HL5615)
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides estimates of the economic status of people aged 18–24. These are published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, which is available from the House of Commons Library. The latest release was published on 17 July 2002. The next edition will be published on 14 August 2002.
The attached table gives the estimates for 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are not seasonally adjusted. This information is not available for the other years mentioned in your question.
It is not possible to distinguish which of the employed and unemployed 18–24 year olds shown in the table were "new entrants" to the labour market.
| In employment | Unemployed | Economically inactive | |
| March to May 1981(1) | 4,026 | 730 | 1,154 |
| March to May 1986 | 4,366 | 912 | 1,213 |
| March to May 1991 | 4,184 | 643 | 1,188 |
| March to May 1996 | 3,283 | 536 | 1,261 |
| March to May 2001 | 3,308 | 347 | 1,346 |
Source: ONS Labour Force Survey
(1)For years prior to 1984, the statistics for the unemployed and economically inactive populations were produced using a slightly different definition.
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter to Baroness Greengross from the National Statistician and Registrar General, Len Cook, dated July 2002.
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the number of persons resident in the UK aged 50 to 65 years in 2001; and in 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996. [HL5613]
The Office for National Statistics normally publishes mid-year population estimates in 5-year age groups. As a result the data provided refer to persons aged 50 to 64. Mid-2001 population estimates have not yet been published so mid-2000 estimates have been provided.
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they last published figures on the number of 50–65 year-olds who are economically Inactive in the United Kingdom; and when they intend to publish such figures again.[HL5616]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter to Baroness Greengross from the National Statistician and Registrar General, Len Cook, dated July 2002.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about economically inactive 50-65 year olds. (HL5614, HL5616)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes estimates of economic inactivity for people of working age, including those for men aged 50–64 and women aged 50–59. The estimates are published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, which is available from the Library. The latest release was published on 17 July 2002. The next edition will be published on 14 August 2002.
The attached table gives the estimates for 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are not seasonally adjusted. Estimates are not available for the earlier years mentioned in your question.
Source:
ONS Labour Force Survey
(2) Men aged 50–64 and women aged 50–59.
(3) For years prior to 1984, the statistics for the economically inactive population were produced using a slightly different definition.
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The EC Treaty contains no provision for a member state to withdraw from EMU.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Countries in Africa and Asia generally owe money to the UK via debts owing to the Department for International Development (DfID) or the Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD). Debts owing from these countries amount to around £57 million for the former and around £6 billion for the latter. In addition, the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) has some public sector debt owing to it by these countries that amounts to around £46 million. However, the Government have already
In addition, the UK is at the forefront of the debate on international debt relief and participates fully in the enhanced heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative agreed at Cologne in 1999 that makes provision for the cancellation of around 100 billion US dollars of debt. Under the HIPC initiative a country receives interim debt relief on payments due when it reaches decision point (DP), and subsequently the debt is irrevocably cancelled at competition point (CP). Of the 42 countries classified as HIPCs, four are currently expected to have a sustainable burden of debt after traditional debt relief and one has, so far, not opted to apply for debt relief.
Of the remaining 37 countries, 26 have now reached decision point with $62 billion in debt relief committed compared with the $100 billion total. Six of these countries, Bolivia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, have reached completion point and will have the totality of their debts owed to the UK irrevocably cancelled. Out of 11
Moreover, the UK goes beyond the terms agreed under the HIPC initiative and always provides 100 per cent debt relief on all qualifying debts owing to DfID, ECGD C which accounts for the bulk of the debt C and CDC. In addition, for those HIPCs yet to reach decision point the UK operates a unilateral hold-in-trust policy. For those countries yet to secure debt relief because of civil wars, external conflict or the absence of a poverty reduction programme any debt payments made are held in trust until they can be returned to fund poverty reduction.
For non-HIPCs repayment schedules and any multilateral agreements on debt forgiveness are agreed through the Paris Club group of official creditors working closely with the IMF and World Bank. The amounts owing to DfID, ECGD and CDC from countries in Africa and Asia are set out in the attached table. The amounts in each case often refer to more than one loan, and for this reason the exact repayment arrangements for all loans cannot easily be provided.
(4) All HIPCs with an unsustainable burden of debt benefit from the UK's 100 per cent debt relief policy.
(5) Some north African countries are typically defined as part of the Middle East.
Note:
DfID and CDC figures as of April 2002. ECGD figures as of June 2002.
How many 50–65 year olds were resident in the United Kingdom in 2001; and in each of the following years: 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1988, 1991 and 1996.[HL5613]
Mid-year Persons 1961 9,752.2
1966 10,097.6
1971 9,891.5
1976 9,705.1
1981 9,385.8
1986 9,147.8
1991 8,875.1
1996 9,224.5
2000 10,192.6
How many 50–65 year-olds were economically inactive in the United Kingdom in 2001; and in each of the following years: 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996; and[HL5614]
Thousands, not seasonally adjusted
March to May 1981(3) 1,992
March to May 1986 2,347
March to May 1991 2,236
March to May 1996 2,457
March to May 2001 2,614
Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 24 July (WA88), what constitutional principle, if any, would prevent a future government and Parliament, elected on a manifesto commitment to withdraw from economic and monetary union, from carrying it out.[HL5705]
What countries in Africa and Asia owe money to the United Kingdom; how much in each case; and what, if any, are the repayment arrangements.[HL5626]
Debts owing to UK, £M
HIPC DfID ECGD CDC Total
status repayment
African HIPCs(4)
Angola Sustainable 120.0 120.0
Benin DP 2.8 2.8
Cameroon DP 73.5 30.7 104.2
Central African Republic pre DP 0.3 0.3
Congo pre DP 169.0 169.0
DR Congo pre DP 192.3 192.3
Cote D'Ivoire pre DP 1.47 27.4 14.3 43.1
Ethiopia DP 11.5 11.5
Ghana DP 4.40 None 33.4 14.7 52.5
Guinea Republic DP 3.4 3.4
Kenya Sustainable 20.4 4.0 24.4
Liberia pre DP 19.8 19.8
Madagascar DP 27.2 27.2
Malawi DP 0.02 None 0.5 13.6 14.2
Mali DP 4.4 4.4
Mozambique DP 0.21 None 0.2
Niger DP 8.4 8.4
Senegal DP 0.10 None 1.5 1.6
Sierra Leone DP 3.7 3.7
Somalia pre DP 33.8 33.8
Sudan pre DP 321.8 321.8
Togo pre DP 16.8 16.8
Zambia DP 25.66 None 229.2 254.9
Sub-total 31.87 1,321.1 1430.3
Other African countries(5)
Botswana 0.3 0.3
Gabon 123.9 123.9
Lesotho 11.5 11.5
Mauritius 0.16 None 0.2
Nigeria 4.23 3,977.0 3,981.2
Seychelles 7.89 1.8 9.7
Solomon Islands 1.01 None 1.0
Zimbabwe 9.23 10.2 19.4
Sub-total 22.52 4,100.9 23.9 4,147.3
Asia
India 4.1 4.1
Indonesia 613.0 18.0 631.0
Malaysia 1.33 1.3
Philippines 1.31 15.2 16.5
Vietnam (HIPC) Sustainable 9.8 9.8
Sub-total 2.64 638.0 22.1 662.7
Total, countries in Africa and Asia 57.03 6,060.0 45.9 6,240.3
Next Section
Back to Table of Contents
Lords Hansard Home Page