To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the trend in the UK household savings ratio over the period 1997 to 2006; and if he will make a statement. (153925)

HM Treasury continually monitors the level of household savings, and the implications for the wider economy are examined as part of the pre-Budget report and Budget forecasting process.

Since 1997 the Government have: introduced the Individual Saving Account (ISA) so that everyone has access to a tax-advantaged savings scheme; introduced the Child Trust Fund (CTF) so that in the future all children will enter adulthood with a financial asset regardless of family background, and piloted the Saving Gateway to explore ways in which matched funding can promote saving in lower income households.