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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Wasted Costs Orders
Mr. Donald Anderson: To ask the Attorney-General what considerations led to the omission of wasted costs orders from the annual reports of the Crown Prosecution Service. [28307]
The Attorney-General: Information on costs awarded against the prosecution is published in the departmental report of the Lord Chancellor's and Law Officers' Department, Cm. 3209, March 1996.
Mr. Anderson: To ask the Attorney-General how many wasted costs orders have been made by courts against the Crown Prosecution Service in the last accounting year, with the breakdown of each Crown Prosecution Service area and the total sums for such areas and further broken down by the Crown courts and the magistrates courts. [28306]
The Attorney-General: Wasted costs orders are usually so described--that is, orders against the legal or other representatives personally, pursuant to section 19A of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, are extremely rare in relation to representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service.
| Area | Number of costs awards against CPS | Amount paid £ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown courts | Magistrates' courts | ||
| North | 2 | 19 | 3,102 |
| Yorkshire | 11 | 160 | 8,215 |
| Mersey/Lancashire | 11 | 6 | 3,259 |
| Humber | 9 | 6 | 22,827 |
| North-west | 5 | 14 | 9,363 |
| East Midlands | 20 | 39 | 18,347 |
| Wales | 10 | 4 | 5,108 |
| Midlands | 9 | 7 | 7,503 |
| Anglia | 6 | 16 | 12,637 |
| Severn/Thames | 16 | 16 | 16,798 |
| South-west | 4 | 4 | 2,227 |
| London | 111 | 95 | 63,804 |
| South-east | 13 | 26 | 19,528 |
| Central casework | Not available | Not available | 52,003 |
| Total | 227 | 412 | 244,721 |
1. Information is not available to establish the enactment under which the orders were made and awards of costs made otherwise than in accordance with the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 may be included.
2. The information in relation to the number of awards is limited to Crown court and magistrates court cases. It does not include cost awards made in the higher court.
3. The number of awards relates to all cases dealt with by the CPS areas, but does not include any orders made in respect of the specialised work handled by central casework.
4. Information about the amounts actually paid includes payments in respect of orders made in the higher courts and those in respect of the specialised work handled by central casework, but the amounts paid cannot be broken down by type of court.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Police Training (ODA Funding)
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects or schemes under which the Overseas Development Agency has given funding to countries to finance training of their police officers (a) in the UK or (b) in their home countries. [29041]
Mr. Hanley: Assistance for police training under the aid programme is financed through the ODA's country aid programmes, whether the training takes place in the UK or in the trainee's home country.
14 May 1996 : Column: 386
Countries who received aid for in-country training from ODA under country aid programmes in 1994 and 1995 were:
14 May 1996 : Column: 387
It would involve a disproportionate cost to collect this information for earlier years or by projects.
Sir Michael Grylls:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Nigerian Government's political programme for the creation of a democracy in Nigeria; if he will list, with proposed dates, the main elements of that political programme; if he will indicate in the case of each of those dates which have passed whether the stated goal had been achieved, with particular reference to local government elections; and if he will list those targets within the programme which gave rise to the concerns about a lack of progress expressed by the Minister of State in his oral answer on 3 April, Official Report, column 373. [29079]
Mr. Hanley:
A copy of the transition programme, as announced by the General Abacha on 1 October 1995, has been placed in the Library of the house.
We are not satisfied that the non-party elections held in March were free or fair. We are concerned by the introduction of new decrees which further extend the powers of the regime to control political activity and by the continued detention of opposition figures.
1994
Albania
Anguilla
Bangladesh
Barbados
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Cayman Islands
Czech Republic
Gambia
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Jamaica
Lesotho
Maldives
Montserrat
Namibia
Nepal
Nigeria
Pakistan
Poland
Romania
Russia
St. Helena
Sierra Leone
Slovak Republic
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Swaziland
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uganda
1995
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Bangladesh
Botswana
Bulgaria
Cayman Islands
Czech Republic
Hungary
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Namibia
Nepal
Nigeria
Pakistan
Palestinian Authority
Poland
Romania
Russia
St. Helena
Countries receiving police training in the UK in 1994 and 1995 under country aid programmes were listed in the answer given to the hon. Member on 28 February, Official Report, column 546.
St. Kitts and Nevis
Slovak Republic
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Swaziland
Uganda
Probate Service
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when his Department will be announcing its response to the recommendation of the report on the structure of the probate service of September 1994. [28395]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.
Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Paul Boateng, dated 14 May 1996:
14 May 1996 : Column: 388
The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your Question about the progress of the response to the Report on the Structure of the Probate Service.
The Principal Registry of the Family Division forwarded a submission to Court Service Headquarters on 9 May. The submission will shortly be forwarded to the Lord Chancellor for his consideration. The Lord Chancellor will make a decision on the proposals in due course.
TREASURY
Personal Alcohol Imports
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what restrictions apply to the importation of large quantities of alcohol from other EU countries in cases where the person importing the alcohol declares it to be for personal use; and what tests are applied to establish whether the alcohol is intended for personal use. [28690]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Customs apply no restrictions to private importations of alcohol purchased duty paid in another EU country by travellers for their own use. The definition of "own use" and the conditions applying to relief of excise duty on personal importations are contained in the Excise Duty (Personal Reliefs) Order 1992. The main criteria applied by Customs to identify goods being imported for commercial purposes under the personal reliefs provisions are defined in paragraph 5 of the order.
Educational Trusts
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the School Fees Insurance Association concerning the taxation of educational trusts; and if he will make a statement. [28321]
Mr. Jack: Following the Charity Commissioners' recent decision that certain educational trusts are not truly charitable, I met representatives of the trusts concerned, including the SFIA, on 9 May, when I learned of the discussions they have been having with the Charity Commission and the Inland Revenue about ways of addressing current issues.
Income Tax
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the yield of a 50 per cent. rate of tax starting at £50,000 and a 60 per cent. rate starting at £100,000; and how many taxpayers would be involved; [28314]
- (2) what would be the yield of a 50 per cent. rate of tax starting at £50,000; and how many taxpayers would be involved; [28312]
(3) what would be the yield of 50 per cent. rate of tax starting at £100,000; and how many taxpayers would be involved. [28313]
Mr. Jack: Estimated full-year yields, 1996-97 income levels, are given in the table. The estimates of income tax yields do not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of the increases in tax rates.
| Lower limit of taxable income for the 50 per cent. rate | Full-year revenue yield(1) at 1996-97 income levels | Number of taxpayers affected |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ billion | Thousands |
| 50,000 | 2.3 | 450 |
| 100,000 | 1.1 | 110 |
| 50,000 (and with 60 per cent. rate above 100,000) | 3.4 | 450 |
(1) including the consequential effects on the yield of capital gains tax after allowing for likely changes in the volume of disposals.
14 May 1996 : Column: 389
Mr. Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) of 31 October 1995, Official Report, columns 151-52, on gross income and income tax liability by income band for 1996-97. [28581]
Mr. Jack: Available estimates are given in the table. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates for the specified bands of income above £100,000, nor is it possible to incorporate the detailed effect of mortgage interest relief which, in total, reduces income tax liability by £1.2 billion for taxpayers included in the table.
| 1996-97 | Gross income(2) | Income tax liability(3) | Number of taxpayers |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ millions | £ millions | (thousands) | |
| £20,000 to £30,000 | 97,500 | 17,200 | 4,100 |
| £30,000 to £40,000 | 42,200 | 8,750 | 1,200 |
| £40,000 to £50,000 | 20,100 | 4,920 | 450 |
| £50,000 to £60,000 | 12,100 | 3,250 | 220 |
| £60,000 to £70,000 | 7,220 | 2,070 | 110 |
| £70,000 to £80,000 | 5,630 | 1,680 | 80 |
| £80,000 to £90,000 | 4,020 | 1,240 | 50 |
| £90,000 to £100,000 | 2,630 | 830 | 30 |
| £100,000+ | 25,600 | 8,910 | 130 |
(2) Gross income is defined as total income for income tax purposes. It excludes income from certain social security benefits and some investment income such as National Savings Certificates.
(3) Not taking account of mortgage interest relief.
Mr. Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) of 6 November 1995, Official Report, column 537, to 1996-97 on the average tax allowances and reliefs for those with gross earnings up to £120,000, differentiating between reliefs and allowances claimed (i) at the marginal rate and (ii) at other rates. [28580]
Mr. Jack: Available estimates for taxpayers in 1996-97 are in the table. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates for the specified bands above £100,000.
| Gross income range | Average amount of tax reliefs and allowances claimed at marginal rates set against income | Average amount of tax reliefs and allowances claimed at other rates, set against income |
|---|---|---|
| £ per year | £ | £ |
| 0-10,000 | 4,100 | 650 |
| 10,000-20,000 | 4,400 | 1,400 |
| 20,000-30,000 | 4,800 | 2,300 |
| 30,000-40,000 | 5,300 | 2,700 |
| 40,000-50,000 | 6,100 | 2,800 |
| 50,000-60,000 | 6,700 | 2,850 |
| 60,000-70,000 | 7,200 | 2,950 |
| 70,000-80,000 | 7,900 | 2,900 |
| 80,000-90,000 | 8,300 | 2,950 |
| 90,000-100,000 | 9,000 | 3,000 |
| Over 100,000 | 13,900 | 3,100 |
| Average | 4,500 | 1,400 |
Mr. Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) of 4 May 1995, Official Report, columns 262-63, to provide estimates for 1996--97 for the number of taxpayers with gross and taxable income in income bands up to £150,000, supplying data at intervals of not more than £10,000. [28582]
14 May 1996 : Column: 390
Mr. Jack: Available estimates are given in the table. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates for the specified bands of income above £100,000.
| Number of taxpayers by range of | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | Gross income(4) (thousands) | Taxable income(5) (thousand) |
| Under £5,000 | 1,400 | 8,100 |
| £5,000 to £10,000 | 7,800 | 6,500 |
| £10,000 to £15,000 | 6,000 | 4,500 |
| £15,000 to £20,000 | 4,200 | 2,900 |
| £20,000 to £25,000 | 2,700 | 1,500 |
| £25,000 to £30,000 | 1,400 | 770 |
| £30,000 to £40,000 | 1,200 | 750 |
| £40,000 to £50,000 | 450 | 300 |
| £50,000 to £60,000 | 220 | 150 |
| £60,000 to £70,000 | 110 | 80 |
| £70,000 to £80,000 | 80 | 50 |
| £80,000 to £90,000 | 50 | 30 |
| £90,000 to £100,000 | 30 | 20 |
| Over £100,000 | 130 | 110 |
| Total | 25,800 | 25,800 |
(4) Gross income is defined as total income for income tax purposes. It excludes income from certain social security benefits and some investment income such as national savings certificates.
(5) Taxable income is defined as gross income for income tax purposes less those allowance and reliefs which are available at the taxpayer's marginal rate.
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