§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of economic growth in the St. Helens area for each year since 1992. [141305]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Woodward, dated 4 December 2003
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on economic growth in the St Helens area for each year since 1992. (141305)
The nearest geography for that area for which a measure of economic activity (that is gross value added (GVA)) is East Merseyside; this includes St Helens and Knowsley.
The estimates in tables A and B are based on the regional GVA estimates published in August and October 2003 for regional (North West) and sub-regional (Merseyside) data and April 2001 for the local area (East Merseyside) data. These are available on the National Statistics website at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ StatBase/Product.asp?vink = 7359.
Growth rates are normally calculated on the basis of data at constant prices. However, regional Gross Value Added (GVA) data are only available on a current price basis, in the absence of regional deflators or volume measures. The growth rates shown in the table below will therefore include the effects of inflation.
Estimates for East Merseyside consistent with the sub-regional data up to 2001 will be published on 11 December 2003.