§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims have been registered by ex-miners suffering from respiratory disease who are resident in the constituencies of(a) Caerphilly, (b) Llanelli, (c) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, (d) Neath, (e) Clwyd South, (f) Wrexham and (g) Pontypridd. [155645]
§ Mr. Hain[holding answer 28 March 2001]: IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, do not collect data by constituency. The following information is collated by reference to the postcodes most closely mapping onto the constituencies in question. The number of claims in respect of respiratory disease in the areas defined by these postcodes are listed in the table: 209W
Constituency within defined area Postcode defined area Number of claims for respiratory disease Caerphilly CF 46, 81–83 NP 1 3,231 Llanelli SA 14–17 1,308 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Neath NP 2–3; CF 41, 46–48 3,635 Neath SA 8–11, 18 3,636 Clwyd South LL 13–14, 20–21; SY 10 516 Wrexham LL 11–13 502 Pontypridd CF 37–39 2,122
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation for respiratory disease have been made by ex-miners living in the constituencies of(a) Aberavon, (b) Newport, East, (c) Ogmore, (d) Blaenau Gwent, (e) Bridgend, (f) Rhondda, (g) Islwyn and (h) East Carmarthen and Dinefwr. [155642]
§ Mr. Hain[holding answer 27 March 2001]: IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, do not collect data by constituency. The information is collated by reference to the postcodes most closely mapping onto the constituencies in question. The number of claims in respect of respiratory disease in the areas defined by these postcodes are listed in the table:
1997 1998 1999 Total Agriculture, forestry 10 10 10 30 Mining, quarrying; electricity, gas and water supply 0 0 0 0 Manufacturing 15 10 5 30 Construction 20 40 30 90 Wholesale, retail & repairs 65 65 55 185 Hotels, restaurants 40 35 45 120 Transport, storage & communications 10 15 5 30 Financial intermediation 0 5 0 5 Real estate, renting & business activities 80 85 90 255 Public administration; other community, social & personal services 20 20 10 50 Education; health & social work 5 5 0 10 All Sectors 265 290 250 805 Source:
Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations, National Statistics.
During the period 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1999 some 755 businesses in Shrewsbury and Atcham left the VAT register.
During the same period therefore, the stock of VAT registered businesses in Shrewsbury and Atcham increased by 50 (1.7 per cent). The equivalent percentage increase for the West Midlands region was 1.2 per cent. and for the UK 3.4 per cent.