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Livestock (Compensation)
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase the compensation payable to farmers for livestock they have been unable to move in the over-30-months scheme due to movement restrictions; and if she will make a statement. [12353]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 5 November 2001]: The Government have considered very carefully whether it would be appropriate to pay compensation for losses incurred on cattle which went beyond the 30-month age limit because of movement restrictions imposed during the earlier part of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. We have conclude that it would not. Statutory compensation for losses incurred as a result of the FMD outbreak is only paid on animals which have been slaughtered as a result of FMD, or on property, including animals which have been seized and destroyed in order to prevent the spread of FMD. The Government do not compensate farmers, or businesses, for other, indirect losses.
Cleansing Services Group
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will make a decision on the holding of a public inquiry into the explosion at Cleansing Services Group Ltd. at Sandhurst, Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement. [8209]
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Mr. Meacher [holding answer 18 November 2001]: The Government fully understand the deep concerns of local residents about the incidents at the site and the calls for a public inquiry. We are considering this issue in the light of the latest progress report into the Environment Agency's and the Health and Safety Executive's joint investigation of the incidents and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.
Rural Housing
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the population in local authorities defined as rural were assessed as being in priority need for housing in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999, (e) 2000 and (f) 2001. [16539]
Ms Keeble: Summary information on activity under the statutory homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1996 is reported to the Department by local authorities in England. This includes the number of households accepted as being eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need.
Local authorities also report the total number of households on their housing register/waiting lists (excluding existing tenants awaiting a transfer) as at 1 April on their annual Housing Investment Programme returns, and separately distinguish those deemed to be "in need".
These households, expressed as a percentage of all households in authorities categorised as either "mixed rural" or "deep rural", are as follows:
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 0.35 |
| 1997–98 | 0.33 |
| 1998–99 | 0.32 |
| 1999–2000 | 0.32 |
| 2000–01 | 0.37 |
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3.1 |
| 1997 | 2.9 |
| 1998 | 2.9 |
| 1999 | 3.0 |
| 2000 | 3.0 |
| 2001 | 3.8 |
Note:
Mid-year household population estimates for 2000 and 2001 are not yet available; the estimate of 1999 has been applied in these years.
Source:
DTLR P1(E) housing activity and HIP returns.
ONS mid-year estimates of household population
Local authorities have different practices for compiling and managing their housing register/waiting lists which
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mean that comparisons between authorities can be misleading. Authorities' policies and practices may change, which can also affect comparisons over time.
TREASURY
Folkestone and Hythe
Mr. Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people aged 18 to 24 years were unemployed for more than six months in each year since May 1992 in the constituency of Folkestone and Hythe. [17734]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Howard, dated 27 November 2001:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on the number of people aged 18 to 24 years who were unemployed for more than six months for each year since May 1992 in the constituency of Folkestone and Hythe. (17734)
- The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics for unemployment from surveys following the internationally standard International Labour Organisation definition. However, for the Folkestone and Hythe parliamentary constituency the survey sample size is too small to provide estimates. ONS also compiles statistics of claimants of unemployment-related benefits. the claimant count consists of all people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or National Insurance credits at Employment Service local offices. They must declare that they are out of work, capable of, available for and actively seeking work during the week in which the claim is made.
- Prior to January 1996 comparable figures for earlier years are not available on the same geographical basis. Information on computerised claims by age and duration for parliamentary constituencies from January 1996 were based on the ward boundaries of the 1991 census while figures before are based on the ward boundaries of the 1981 census and are available from June 1985 to January 1996.
- The information requested is given in the attached table.
| Year | Age 18–24 |
|---|---|
| May 1992 | 444 |
| May 1993 | 617 |
| May 1994 | 640 |
| May 1995 | 595 |
| May 1996 | 520 |
| May 1997 | 314 |
| May 1998 | 215 |
| May 1999 | 73 |
| May 2000 | 54 |
| May 2001 | 33 |
(18) computerised claims only
Tax Credits and Benefits
Mr. Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people received (a) tax credits and (b) means- tested benefits in the constituency of Folkestone and Hythe for each year since April 1997. [17738]
Dawn Primarolo: The available information for Folkestone and Hythe is in the following table.
Notes:
1. Apart from DPTC and DWA, the figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample. They are subject to sampling error and therefore shown to the nearest 100.
2. Recipients of WFTC/FC or DPTC/DWA who also receive IS or JSA are included only in the first two columns. This eliminates double counting in the total.
3. WFTC and DPTC replaced FC and DWA from October 1999.
4. DPTC and DWA figures are for April.
Sources:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries May 1997-May 2000
Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries May 1997-May 2001
Working Families Tax Credit/Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiries May 1997-May 2001
Disabled Person's Tax Credit/Disability Working Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries April 1997-April 2001.
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Housing benefit and council tax benefit figures are not available for the Folkestone and Hythe constituency but are available for the Shepway local authority.
| Housing benefit | Council tax benefit | |
|---|---|---|
| May 1997 | 7,900 | 9,640 |
| May 1998 | 7,630 | 9,290 |
| May 1999 | 7,460 | 9,030 |
| May 2000 | 6,640 | 8,150 |
| May 2001 | 6,260 | 7,740 |
Notes:
1. The data refer to benefit units, which can be single persons or couples.
2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock.
National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue National Insurance Contributions Office will respond to the request made by Mr. Welch of Burton, Christchurch to be able to make self-employed national insurance contributions. [18653]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Insurance Contributions Office wrote to Mr. Welch on 21 November, and I am writing to the hon. Member about his constituent's concerns.
Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has completed his review of national insurance contributions for 2002–03. [18972]
Dawn Primarolo: I have completed the annual review under section 141 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. I propose the following changes to take effect from 6 April 2002. These rates and limits will also apply to Northern Ireland National Insurance Contributions.
In line with the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, the Lower Earnings Limit for primary Class 1 contributions is to be raised to £75 a week. It is
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set at the level of the basic Retirement Pension for a single person from April 2002 and rounded down to the nearest pound.
The Primary and Secondary Thresholds for Class 1 contributions will continue to be aligned with the weekly amounts of the income tax personal allowance at £89 a week. This means that no tax or Class 1 contributions will actually be paid on earnings below this level. The Upper Earnings Limit for primary Class 1 contributions will be raised to £585.
The rate of secondary Class 1 contributions payable by all employers is to be reduced by 0.1 per cent. from 11.9 per cent. to 11.8 per cent. This is to ensure that the overall effect on industry from the introduction of the Aggregates Levy will be revenue neutral.
The rate of Class 2 contributions will remain at £2 a week.
Self-employed people with earnings below the annual Small Earnings Exception can apply to be exempted from paying Class 2 contributions. This limit will be raised by £70 to £4,025.
The annual lower and upper profits limits for liability to Class 4 contributions will be raised respectively by £80 to £4,615 (in line with the income tax personal allowance) and by £520 to £30,420, to maintain the link with employees' earnings liable to Class 1 contributions.
The rate of Class 3 voluntary contributions will be increased by 10 pence to £6.85 a week.
The special rate of Class 2 contributions for share fishermen, which allows them to build entitlement to contributory Jobseeker's Allowance in addition to the other contributory benefits available to the self-employed, will continue to be £2.65 a week.
The special rate of Class 2 contributions for volunteer development workers, which entitles them to the full range of contributory benefits, will be increased by 15 pence to £3.75 in line with the statutory formula of 5 per cent. of the primary Class 1 Lower Earnings Limit.
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Treasury Grant
I need to ensure that the Fund can maintain a prudent working balance throughout the coming year. In accordance with section 2(2) of the Social Security Act 1993, I propose to do so by prescribing that the maximum Treasury Grant which may be made available to the fund in 2002–03 shall not exceed 2 per cent. of the estimated benefit expenditure for that year. Similar provision will be made in respect of the Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund.
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I shall be laying a draft re-rating order before Parliament in due course. This will accompany a report by the Government Actuary to myself and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which we shall jointly present to Parliament.
The table sets out the rates, earnings limits and thresholds for National Insurance Contributions proposed for 2002–03.
| Item | 2002–03 |
|---|---|
| Lower Earnings Limit, primary Class 1 | £75 |
| Upper Earnings Limit, primary Class 1 | £585 |
| Primary Threshold | £89 |
| Secondary Threshold | £89 |
| Employees' primary Class 1 rate | 10 per cent. from £89.01 to £585 |
| Employees' contracted-out rebate | 1.6 per cent. |
| Married women's reduced rate | 3.85 per cent. |
| Employers' secondary Class 1 rate | 11.8 per cent. on earnings above £89 |
| Employers' contracted-out rebate, salary-related schemes | 3.5 per cent. |
| Employers' contracted-out rebate, money-purchase schemes | 1.0 per cent. |
| Class 2 rate | £2 |
| Class 2 Small Earnings Exception | £4,025 |
| Special Class 2 rate for share fishermen | £2.65 |
| Special Class 2 rate for volunteer development workers | £3.75 |
| Class 3 rate | £6.85 |
| Class 4 rate | 7 per cent. |
| Class 4 Lower Profits Limit | £4,615 |
| Class 4 Upper Profits Limit | £30,420 |
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