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Mr. Watts: The information requested regarding spending in constant terms in the road building programme since 1979--calculated using 1993 94 as the baseline--is set out in million pounds sterling. The figures apply only to roads in England as the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales have responsibility for this expenditure in those countries. Expenditure on local roads is not available at constant prices and is therefore excluded.
Column 901
Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1979-90 |1094.0 1980-81 |1083.8 1981-82 |1184.2 1982-83 |1292.7 1983-84 |1190.0 1984-85 |1279.1 1985-86 |1235.5 1986-87 |1270.2 1987-88 |1341.5 1988-89 |1315.1 1989-90 |1656.5 1990-91 |2052.4 1991-92 |1988.6 1992-93 |2018.9 1993-94 |2041.9 1994-95 |1991.7
Car Windscreen Cleaners
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to reduce nuisance to the public by people offering to clean car windows; [42336]
(2) how many people cleaning car windscreens without legal authority or excuse have been prosecuted for wilfully obstructing the free passage along a highway in 1994 95. [42337]
(3) what consultations he has had with the police about the extent of people cleaning car windscreens, with particular reference to the dangers of vulnerable drivers. [42338]
Mr. Norris: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42327]
Mr. Norris: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Trans-European Transport Networks
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the decision by the EU Council of Transport Ministers in respect of the amendments Nos. 12, 162, 163 and 166, concerning environmental standards, from the European Parliament to the European Community proposal on trans-European transport networks. [41763]
Mr. Watts: A common position on the draft guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network was adopted by the Transport Council on 28 September. In reaching this common position, the Council considered amendments Nos. 12, 162, 163 and 166 and agreed to an amendment to article 5 of the draft guidelines. This provides for environmental concerns to be integrated into the design and development of the network. The Council agreed that there was no need to include an article devoted specifically to environmental protection since this was already dealt with adequately in the draft proposals.
Column 902
Stranraer Rail Services
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his intentions with regard to the franchising of passenger rail services serving Stranraer. [42377]
Mr. Watts: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Air Pollution
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support or promotion his Department is giving to installing public displays of traffic pollution levels in streets. [40915]
Mr. Clappison: I have been asked to reply.
My Department makes information available to the public from its automatic air quality monitoring sites, which in city centres are mainly influenced by road traffic emissions. Daily information is provided on air pollution in both urban and rural areas across the United Kingdom via a Freephone helpline, Ceefax, Teletext, the Internet and a variety of other news media. Bulletins include information on levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone together with a forecast for the following day. The information is available to local authorities and it is for them to decide what use should be made of it in their local circumstances.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Micro-credit Programmes
Mr. Keith Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the amount of bilateral British aid in 1994 given to micro-credit programmes making small business loans to poor women. [41587]
Mr. Hanley: British aid, in 1994, funded a number of programmes with micro-credit components including large programmes in Bangladesh, through the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, and in Kenya, through the Kenya rural enterprise programme. Neither the total of these micro-credit programmes nor the proportion made to poor women are readily identifiable, but women are the main beneficiaries in the programmes specified and we believe that total expenditure on micro-credit was approximately £3 million in 1994.
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to contribute funds for the World Bank plan announced last July to assist micro-level credit schemes. [42195]
Mr. Hanley: The consultative group to assist the poorest, launched by the World Bank in June, aims to pool experience on the delivery of financial services to the very poor; to support institutions which provide such services on a financially sustainable basis; to strengthen donor co- ordination and increase awareness of microcredit schemes within the bank. The bank is
Column 903
contributing $30 million towards this pilot programme. Other donors may contribute in cash or in kind, by nominating directly administered projects and programmes for joint review of experience and dissemination of best practice. The UK is participating in the group on the latter basis.Bilateral Aid
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by how much the Overseas Development Administration budget would need to rise, in percentage and money terms, to maintain the value of the bilateral programme during the period 1996 97 to 1998 99. [41621]
Mr. Hanley: It is not possible to answer this question precisely, since there is scope to modify certain limited categories of multilateral spending such as contributions to new multilateral replenishments, or voluntary contributions to UN or Commonwealth bodies.
The latest relevant forecast, published in the 1995 departmental report, suggests that the increase required to maintain the value, in cash and real terms, of the bilateral programmes at the levels planned for 1995 96 in 1996 97 and 1997 98 is as follows:
|£ millions|Percentage
--------------------------------------------
1996-97
Cash |81.0 |3.6
Real |114.0 |5.1
1997-98
Cash |155.0 |7.0
Real |216.0 |9.7
Departmental Budget
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by how much the Overseas Development Administration budget would need to increase, in percentage and money terms, to maintain its value, in cash and real terms, during the period 1996 97 to 1998 99. [41620]
Mr. Hanley: The level of the Overseas Development Administration budget for 1995 96 is planned to be £2,230 million excluding overseas superannuation and global environment assistance. The increase on the planned level for 1995 96, in percentage and money terms, required to maintain its value, in cash and real terms, during the period 1996 97 to 1998 99, is as follows:
|£ millions|Percentage
--------------------------------------------
1996-97
Cash |0.0 |0
Real |67.0 |3
1997-98
Cash |0.0 |0
Real |124.0 |5.6
1998-99
Cash |0.0 |0
Real |177.0 |8
Debt Relief
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much debt service on Overseas Development Administration debt was received in 1993 and 1994; and how much is due in 1995 and 1996; [42343]
(2) to which countries the United Kingdom has provided Overseas Development Administration debt relief in 1995. [42344]
Mr. Hanley: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Lady.
Nigeria (Oil Industry)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what projects his Department is funding (a) alone and (b) in partnership, in Nigeria; and if he will list (i) the amount of funding and (ii) the organisations involved; [42374] (2) if he will provide a full list of all projects and Overseas Development Administration is funding in partnership with Shell and give the amount of funding involved; [42375]
(3) if he will list all projects his Department is funding (a) alone and (b) in partnership with other organisations linked to the oil industry in Nigeria; and if he will list the amount of funding involved; [42376]
(4) if he will list all projects his Department is funding (a) alone and (b) in partnership in or to do with Ogoniland, Nigeria; and if he will list the amount of funding involved; [42369] (5) if he will list all projects that his Department is planning to take part in which includes co- operation with oil industry companies; [42370]
(6) if he will list all the projects his Department his taken part in which have involved Shell in each year for the last 10 years; [42371]
(7) if he will list all projects his Department is planning to take part or fund in Nigeria; [42372]
(8) if he will list all the projects his Department has funded in Nigeria in each year for the last 10 years. [42373]
Mr. Hanley: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Member.
TREASURY
Income Tax
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide updated figures using the September retail prices index for tables 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the tax ready reckoner and tax reliefs giving for each table the effect in 1996 97 and a full year. [40774]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 31 October 1995]: Revised figures are in the tables.
Column 905
Table 2
Income tax
|1995-96|1996-97
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal allowance |3,525 |3,665
Personal allowance (age 65-74) |4,630 |4,810
Personal allowance (age 75 and over) |4,800 |4,990
Married couple's allowance<1> |1,720 |1,790
Married couple's allowance (age 65-75)<1> |2,995 |3,115
Married couple's allowance
(age 75 and over)<1> |3,035 |3,155
Additional personal<1,2> and widow's
bereavement allowance<1> |1,720 |1,790
Aged income limit<3> |14,600 |15,200
Lower rate band |3,200 |3,400
Basic rate limit<4> |24,300 |25,300
<2>Primarily for single parents.
<3>If the total income, less allowable deductions, of a taxpayer
aged 65 or over exceeds this limit, the age-related allowances
are reduced by £1 for each £2 of income over the limit until the
basic levels of the personal and married couple's allowances are
reached.
<4>Higher rate income tax is payable on income (less those
allowances and reliefs that are allowed at the higher rate) in
excess of the basic rate limit.
Table 5
Cost of indexation for 1996-97
£ million
|1996-97|1997-98
----------------------------------------------------------------
Indexation of income tax allowances,
lower rate band and basic rate limit<1> |1,190 |1,880
of which:
increases in allowances |810 |1,170
increase in the lower rate band<2> |150 |300
increase in the basic rate limit<2> |230 |410
Indexation of inheritance tax threshold |25 |45
Indexation of capital gains tax annual
exempt amount |0 |3
<1>Includes the consequential effects on capital gains tax.
<2>Additional cost after previous change has been introduced.
Table 6
Direct effects of illustrative changes in income tax<1>
£ million
Full year Receipts
cost/yield cost/yield
Income tax<2> |1996-97 |1996-97 |1997-98
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rates
Change lower rate by 1p<3> |560 |850 |720
Change basic rate by 1p |1,900 |1,600 |2,000
Change higher rate by 1p |460 |240 |560
Allowances
Change personal allowance
by £100 |590 |430 |640
Change age-related personal
allowance by £100<4> |60 |45 |60
Change married couple's
allowance by £100<5> |150 |120 |160
Change age-related married
couple's allowance by £100<4> |15 |11 |15
Change aged income limit
by £500 |13 |8 |14
Change all personal
allowances by 1 per cent.<6> |240 |180 |260
Change all personal
allowance by 10 per cent.<6> |2,530 |1,750 |2,550
Change married couple's and
related allowances by 1
per cent.<6> |30 |20 |30
Change married couple's and
related allowances by 10
per cent.<6> |300 |220 |330
Lower rate band
Increase lower rate band by
10 per cent.<6> |320 |240 |350
Basic rate limit
Change basic rate limit by 1
per cent.<6> |80 |50 |95
Change basic rate limit by
10 per cent.<6>
increase (cost) |750 |450 |870
decrease (yield) |930 |580 |1,100
Allowances, lower rate band and basic rate limit
Change all main allowances, lower rate band and basic rate limit by 1 per cent.<6> |380 |280 |420
Change all main allowances,
lower rate band and basic
rate limit by 10 per cent.<6>
increase (cost) |3,700 |2,650 |4,100
decrease (yield) |4,050 |2,900 |4,500
<1>The estimated revenue effects of changes on receipts are rounded. The extent of rounding reflects the desire to avoid undue compounding
of its effects when numbers are pro-rated, rather than the accuracy of the estimates.
<2>The figures for income tax changes include consequential effects on the yield of capital gains tax. Changes are assumed to take effect
from April 1996.
<3>Including the effects of the change on receipts of advance corporation tax and on consequent liability to mainstream corporation tax.
<4>Allowances for those aged 65-74 and aged 75 and over.
<5>The figures include the revenue effects of changing the additional personal allowance and the widow's bereavement allowance by £100.
<6>Percentage changes are calculated with reference to 1995-96 levels.
Table 7
Direct effects of illustrative changes in other direct taxes and
national insurance contributions<1>
£ million
Full year Receipts
cost/yield cost/yield
Income tax<2> |1996-97 |1996-97 |1997-98
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation tax<2>
Change full rate by 1 percentage
point |880 |630 |940
Change small companies' rate by 1
percentage point<3> |130 |90 |140
Capital gains tax<4>
Increase annual exempt amount by
£500 for individuals and £250 for
trustees |6 |0 |4
Inheritance tax<4>
Change rate by 1 percentage point |45 |20 |38
Increase threshold by £5,000 |40 |19 |37
<1>The estimated revenue effects of changes on receipts are rounded. The extent of rounding
reflects the desire to avoid undue compounding of its effects when numbers are pro-rated,
rather than the accuracy of the estimates.
<2>Assessment to corporation tax normally relates to the preceding year. These estimates
are the changes to revenue that would occur if the changed rates were applied to profits
from 1 April 1995.
<3>These figures ignore effects arising from the imputation system.
<4>These changes are assumed to take effect from April 1996.
Table 8
Direct effects of revalorising all excise
duties by 3.9 per cent.<1>
|Current level of
|duty on typical
Typical item |item |Price change<2>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pint of beer |24.6p |1.1p
75cl bottle of table wine |105.33p |4.8p
70cl bottle of spirits |£5.77 |26.4p
20 king size cigarettes<3> |£1.69 |13.8p
Litre of unleaded petrol<4> |31.3p |3.3p
Litre of DERV<4> |31.3p |3.3p
VED<5> |£135 |£5.27
<1>These are estimated on the assumption that total consumers' expenditure at
factor cost does not change.
<2>The price change is assumed to equal the change in duty plus the
consequential VAT except in the case of VED where VAT is not payable. The
price change is for the typical item described above and rounded to the
nearest one-tenth of a pence.
<3>The duty on cigarettes has ad valorem and specific elements; revalorisation
relates to total duty and the illustrative percentage change relates only to
the specific element, but the price change includes the consequential increase
in ad valorem duty and VAT. The figures are for an increase of 3 per cent.
above revalorisation to reflect the commitment to raise tobacco duties by at
least 3 per cent. in real terms in future budgets announced in November 1993.
<4>The figures are for an increase of 5 per cent. above revalorisation to
reflect the commitment to raise fuel duties by at least 5 per cent. in real
terms in future Budgets announced in November 1993.
<5>Cars and light vans.
<1>£ million cost/yield
|Revalorisation of
|all excise
Year |duties by 3.9 per
|cent
--------------------------------------------------------------
1995-96 |415
1996-97 |1,750
1997-98 |1,875
Impact effect on the RPI |per cent. 0.51
<1>Assuming implementation on 1 January 1996 for alcohol and
on Budget day for all other duties.
1. Includes receipts from taxes on items not listed above.
Column 907
Table 9
Direct effects of illustrative changes in indirect taxes<1>
<3,><4>£ million cost/yield
|Associated
|Price change of|percentage
|typical item<2>|change in duty |1995-96 |1996-97 |1997-98
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beer and cider |1p |3.5 |15 |105 |110
Wine |5p |4.0 |5 |30 |35
Spirits |25p |3.7 |5 |25 |25
Tobacco<5> |5p |2.8 |40 |180 |190
Petrol<6> |1p |2.6 |75 |310 |340
Derv |1p |2.7 |40 |150 |170
VED<7> |£5.00 |3.7 |50 |150 |150
Air passenger duty<8 ><9> |50p/£1 |10.0 |10 |35 |35
1 percentage point change in VAT standard rate<8> |190 |2,480 |2,610
1 percentage point change in rate of insurance
premium tax<8> |20 |270 |285
<1>These are estimated on the assumption that total consumers' expenditure at factor cost does not change.:
<2>The price change is assumed to equal the change in duty plus the consequential VAT except in the case of VED where VAT is not payable. The
price change is for the typical item described above and rounded to the nearest one-tenth of a pence.
<3>Assuming implementation on 1 January 1996 for alcohol and on Budget day for all other duties.
<4>Revenue effects include effects of changed duty on all items in the same category by the same percentage. Estimates are subject to uncertainty
about the extent to which consumers would switch between different categories of expenditure. This is particularly so for switching from one type
of alcoholic drink to another.
<5>The duty on cigarettes has ad valorem and specific elements; revalorisation relates to total duty and the illustrative percentage change
relates only to the specific element, but the price change includes the consequential increase in ad valorem duty hand VAT. The figures are for
an increase of 3 per cent. above revalorisation to reflect the commitment to raise tobacco duties by at least 3 per cent. in real terms in future
budgets announced in November 1993.
<6>Revenue effects assume duty on both leaded and unleaded petrol is changed by the same percentage.
<7>All VED, including HGVs as well as cars and light vans.
<8>Assuming implementation from Budget day.
<9>Current duty rates are £5 and £10 depending on destination.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the effect on (a) tax revenue and (b) benefit expenditure of increasing (i) the married couple's allowance, (ii) the additional personal allowance and (iii) the widow's bereavement allowance by (A) £100, (B) £200 and (C) £300;
(2) what would be the effect on tax revenue and (b) benefit expenditure of introducing a tax allowance of £300 per child for taxpayers with children (i) under 11 years of age and (ii) under 16 years of age, giving relief at (A) the taxpayers' marginal rate, (B) the 25 per cent. rate, (C) the 20 per cent. rate and (D) the 15 per cent. rate. [42285]
Column 908
Mr. Jack: Estimated full-year tax costs at 1996 97 income levels are given in the table. The benefit offset will depend on take-up and other factors, but it is likely to be small relative to the total cost.
<
Full year revenue tax costs of increasing allowances
at 1996-97 levels
£ million
|Married |Additional |Widow's
|couples |personal |bereavement
Increase |allowance |allowance |allowance
------------------------------------------------------------
100 |150 |10
200 |300 |20 |less than
300 |450 |30 |5 million
Column 909
Full year revenue tax costs at 1996-97 levels £ million Introduction of |Children |Children child tax allowance of £300 per child |under 11 |under 16 available at: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- marginal rate |460 |730 25 per cent. |430 |670 20 per cent. |340 |540 15 per cent. |260 |400
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for all taxpayers the effect on revenue yield in 1995 96 resulting from changes since 1987 88 and 1990 91 in the eligibility, rates or amounts of allowances and reliefs, including MIRAS, available for offset against income tax, after allowing for indexation. [39108]
Mr. Jack: Comparisons at 1995 96 income levels using the higher tax rates from the earlier years and with income tax allowances and rate bands indexed in line with changes in the retail prices index are given in the table. These are based on a projection of the 1993 94 survey of personal incomes. The effect of changes in mortgage interest relief cannot be estimated from this source because most mortgage interest relief is given at source and therefore is not included in individual tax records.
9
|Total income tax
Tax regime applied |liability before
to
1995-96 incomes |mortgage interest
|relief
|£ billion
---------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 indexed |84.7
1990-91 indexed |80.2
1995-96 actual |74.7
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate for the latest year available the number of married couples in the United Kingdom, including those couples that are dependent on benefits, who have (a) insufficient income and (b) sufficient income to use the married couple's allowance in full to offset against tax;
(2) what is the number of taxpayers who are entitled to (a) the married couple's allowance, (b) the additional personal allowance (c) neither of these allowances because their partner is claiming the allowance, (d) neither of these because they are unmarried and do not have dependent children and (e) the widow's bereavement allowance. [42286]
Mr. Jack: I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has of the number and proportion of income taxpayers in (a) Wales, (b) Mid Glamorgan and (c) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney who pay no higher than the 20 per cent. rate; [41608]
(2) what estimate he has of the number of people in employment in (a) Wales, (b) Mid Glamorgan and (c) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney who earn enough to pay income tax. [41609]
Mr. Jack: The table provides estimates for those resident in Wales, Mid Glamorgan and Merthyr Tydfil or Rhymney Valley districts. Figures are given for 1993 94, the latest year in which information can be provided below the United Kingdom level.
Column 909
Numbers: Thousands
|Taxpayers with
|employment or |Taxpayers liable |Percentage liable
|only |only
|self-employment |Total taxpayers |at 20 per cent. rate|20 per cent. rate
|income
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wales |970 |1,110 |290 |24
Mid Glamorgan |170 |200 |50 |25
Merthyr Tydfil/Rhymney Valley |50 |55 |<1>- |<1>-
<1> Estimates cannot be provided due to low number of sample survey cases in the Survey of Personal Incomes sample.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Betts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by type of project (a) how many schemes have been approved to date under the private finance initiative, (b) what is the value of those schemes and (c) what public sector contribution will be required both initially and as revenue support during the lifetime of the schemes. [41745]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 7 November 1995]: By the end of 1995 96, I expect projects to a value of some £5 billion to have been agreed. Fuller details of the major projects concerned were published in the Treasury press notice 136/94 of 29 November 1994. Within this total, there is a large number and variety of projects, which are being taken forward by a number of public sector bodies, including those outside central Government. Detailed information of the kind requested by the hon. Gentleman is not held centrally.
Column 910
Financial arrangements for projects under the private finance initiative fall into a number of categories. These include financially free-standing projects where public sector involvement is limited to enabling the project to go ahead; services sold to the public sector where the cost is met wholly or mainly by charges from the private sector supplier to the public sector; and joint ventures, where the cost of the project is met partly from public funds and partly from other sources of income.Housing Benefit (Taxation)
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the loss to the Exchequer in respect of housing benefit paid to private landlords which is not declared for income tax purposes; [40903]
(2) what amount and proportion of housing benefit paid to private landlords in the last year for which figures are available was paid in income tax. [40902]
Column 911
Mr. Jack: No specific figures are available. The Inland Revenue places great emphasis on the detection of those who fail to declare taxable income. Payments of housing benefit are monitored as part of the Inland Revenue's normal compliance work.
Capital Gains Tax
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the likely consequences to (a) income tax yield and (b) capital gains yield in a full year in the medium term and long term of the introduction of a maximum rate of capital gains tax of 25 per cent. due to (i) straightforward revenue loss and (ii) behavioural effects. [42289]
Mr. Jack: For the capital gains tax effects of the specified measure, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) on 27 October, Official Report, column 857. Behavioural effects would also be expected to lead to a small reduction in income tax yield, perhaps of the order of £50 million in a full year in the medium term.
It is not possible to produce reliable estimates for the long term.
Advance Corporation Tax
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on revenue in 1996 97 and a full year of restricting the carry back of ACT to (a) three years, (b) two years and (c) one year. [42284]
Mr. Jack: The Exchequer effect of restricting ACT carry back from 1996 97 would depend on future levels of profits and dividends. On the basis of the economic forecasts in the 1995 summer economic forecast, the yield from restricting carry back to one, two or three years might be between £100 million and £200 million in a full year. The receipts effect in 1996 97 would be negligible. More detailed estimates cannot be made reliably.
Privatisation
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those companies privatised since 1979 together with the debt write-off agreed by the Government prior to the sale. [42176]
Mr. Jack: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Durham, North West (Ms Armstrong) on 23 March 1995, Official Report , columns 285 88 .
Dr. Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total expenditure of his Department since 1979 on advertising and promoting share offers in (a) gas, (b) electricity, (c) water and (d) telecommunications. [42102]
Mr. Jack: The costs have been as follows:
(a) Nil.
(b) £8 million (Genco2, 1995).
(c) Nil.
(d) £14.7 million on BT2 in 1991
£12.0 million on BT3 in 1993
Column 912
Betting and Lottery Duty
Dr. Moonie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far his most recent projections of combined betting duty and lottery tax revenues for 1994 95 and 1995 96 exceed those projected in November 1994. [42333]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: I will write to the hon. Member.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42328]
Mrs. Angela Knight: I will write to the hon. Member.
Development Banks
Miss Lestor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the total capital, paid and callable, and voting percentage in the African development bank, the Asian development bank, the Inter-American development bank and the European bank for reconstruction and development; [42345]
2) what co-financing of regional development bank projects there has been in 1993 95; for which projects; in which countries; and how much was donated per project. [42346]
Mrs. Angela Knight: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Lady.
Debt Relief
Miss Lestor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which countries benefited from debt conversion in 1993, 1994 and 1995; how much was converted and at what rate of face value; of the conversions that took place what proportion were for environmental or social development projects etc; and if non-governmental organisations play a role in designing or implementing the conversions; [42347] (2) which countries to which the United Kingdom was or is a major creditor benefited from Paris Club debt reduction arrangements in 1993, 1994 and 1995; by how much their debt was reduced; and which option of (a) debt reduction, (b) debt service reduction, (c) capitalisation, (d) moratorium interest and (e) commercial option was chosen in each case. [42348]
Mrs. Angela Knight: I will write to the hon. Lady.
Bilateral Debt Service
Miss Lestor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much bilateral debt service on Overseas Development Administration and Export Credits Guarantee Department debt was received in 1993 and 1994; and how much is due in 1995 and 1996. [42349]
Mrs. Angela Knight: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Lady.
Column 913
Life Assurance (Taxation)
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the taxation of life assurance policyholders. [42361]
Mr. Jack: The Government have decided to defer the proposals for the reform of policyholder taxation, which were promised for inclusion in this year's Finance Bill, to allow a longer period for consultation with interested parties.
As a result, the system of certification of life insurance policies by the Inland Revenue, which was to be abolished with effect from 6 May 1996, will continue for the time being. It is intended that legislation to give effect to this proposal will be included in this year's Finance Bill.
The Government intend to publish next spring draft clauses and proposed secondary legislation aimed at giving effect to the proposed reform with a view to the inclusion of the clauses in a future Finance Bill. This would enable the Inland Revenue to consult interested parties on the proposed changes and allow those parties more time to assess their impact and prepare for them.
Share Schemes (Taxation)
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost in 1996 97 and a full year of reducing the qualifying period for full relief under profit sharing schemes and savings-related share options schemes from five to three years. [40782]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 31 October 1995]: The cost in 1996 97 of reducing the qualifying period for full tax relief under profit sharing schemes and introducing an optional three-year contract period for savings-related share option schemes is estimated at £15 million. The estimated full-year cost is £25 million.
European Courts
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply of the Attorney-General of 30 October, c.12, relating to the decisions of the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights, if he will list those European Court decisions relating to responsibilities of his Department over the past two years; and if he will further indicate the estimated annual cost to public funds of each decision. [41212]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory [holding answer 2 November 1995]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis), gave him on 7 November 1995.
Savings
Mr. Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of (a) gross savings as a percentage of gross domestic product and (b) public spending as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement on the trends indicated. [40908]
Mrs. Angela Knight: I regret that I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.
Column 914
Benefits
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those social security benefits that are not taxable or are in certain instances exempt from taxation and the gross annual amounts that are not subject to tax; and if he will make a statement on the distinction between such differing tax approaches. [40906]
Mr. Jack: A list of taxable and non-taxable social security benefits appears in the table.
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