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Police Informants
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary action has been instituted against individual officers of the Metropolitan police force and the immigration service in relation to the use of Jamaican nationals as informants. [17153]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 24 February 1997]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that no discipline cases have been brought against Metropolitan police officers. The immigration service has taken disciplinary action in respect of one immigration officer following an internal inquiry.
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Income Support
Ms Corston: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the gross and net disposable average income for a family of two adults and two dependent children including one earner; and what was the combined average income entitlement to income support of such a family in Bristol, and in Great Britain, for each year since 1987. [15397]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
| Gross income £ | Net disposable income £ | |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 517 | 405 |
| 1994-95 | 529 | 411 |
| 1995-96 | 520 | 401 |
The figures are subject to sampling variations (which could affect the estimates by up to £30 either way); and have been rounded to the nearest pound.
Government Borrowing (Scotland)
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan of 6 February, Official Report, column 681, what are the projected figures of the Scottish general Government borrowing requirement for each year between 1997-98 and 2001-02. [15688]
Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 13 February 1997]: Forecasts of the Scottish borrowing requirement are not available.
Minimum Age Requirements
Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the minimum age requirements his Department is responsible for enforcing. [15910]
25 Feb 1997 : Column: 135
Mrs. Angela Knight:
I am aware of no minimum age requirements which are enforced by the Chancellor's departments.
Mr. Olner:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the savings which would accrue in the current year from reduced expenditure on tax relief paid on contributions made to appropriate personal pensions if (a) all and (b) half of those earning under £10,000 per annum who are currently opted out of the state earnings-related pensions scheme into APPs were to rejoin SERPS. [15590]
Mr. Jack
[holding answer 14 February 1997]: The yield from reduced expenditure on tax relief for minimum contributions from the national insurance fund to appropriate personal pensions would be about £30 million for 1996-97 if all holders of APPs with earnings of under £10,000 per annum were to rejoin SERPS, and about half that amount if half of those were to rejoin SERPS.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers the Commissioners of Taxes have to take a person's money, goods or chattels without a court order. [16104]
Mr. Jack:
I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to powers available to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue--the board. The Inland Revenue is able to take tax defaulters' goods or chattels without a court order under its statutory powers of distraint. This is one of the legal processes available to the Inland Revenue to enable it to secure payment of outstanding taxes. Before taking distraint action for the amounts due, the taxpayer will have been sent a final demand giving warning of proceedings, as well as earlier written demands. In addition, the collector of taxes will in most cases have tried to make contact either by telephone or by a personal visit.
Mr. Peter Griffiths:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the highest rate of income tax currently levied for each member country of the European Union; and at what level of income, in sterling equivalents, it becomes operative. [16433]
Mr. Jack:
The information requested is provided in the table.
25 Feb 1997 : Column: 136
Environmental Audit (Departmental Buildings)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the ways in which his Department has demonstrated the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through an environmental audit of waste management within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16430]
Mrs. Angela Knight: An environmental assessment using the Building Research Establishment "tool kit" has been carried out at the offices occupied by HM Treasury at Allington Towers in Victoria with a view to accreditation under ISO 14001. Officials are now considering the recommendations and ways of taking this forward. Extending the assessment to the main building in Parliament street--government offices, Great George street--will not be cost effective, given the proposed redevelopment and the short time we expect to remain in the building in its current configuration. The proposed redevelopment project places an obligation on the private sector partner to ensure that an "excellent" rating under the Building Research Establishment's environmental assessment method system is obtained. We intend to obtain a BREEAM rating for waste management once we reoccupy.
Hazardous Materials (Departmental Buildings)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings which his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16283]
Mrs. Angela Knight: All known asbestos is recorded in an asbestos register and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health--COSHH--registers, and data sheets are also held. Regular health and safety inspections, audits and tours are carried out to ensure compliance with COSHH regulations. All halon fire extinguishers have been replaced and regular checks for chlorofluorocarbon leakage detection are carried out on relevant departmental equipment.
Unemployment Statistics
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will use the labour force survey as the basis for unemployment statistics. [16662]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
Estimates from the labour force survey on the internationally standard International Labour Organisation definition have been published by the Government on a quarterly basis since 1992--since April 1996 by the Office for National Statistics--and are
25 Feb 1997 : Column: 137
widely used for economic assessment along with the published monthly count of claimants of unemployment-related benefits.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 7 February, Official Report, column 733, what is the total tax relief granted in respect of the profit-related pay schemes notified to the Inland Revenue (a) between September 1996 and the end of January 1997, (b) in 1996, (c) in 1995 and (d) in 1994.[17201]
Mr. Jack:
The available information is in the table. This is based on the estimated total amount of profit-related pay which will be received for a profit period by participating employees in each scheme. The information is supplied on the application forms submitted by employers registering their schemes.
| Schemes registered in: | Estimated cost of income tax relief(1) |
|---|---|
| £ million | |
| 1 September 1996 to 31 January 1997 | 1,100 |
| 1996 | 1,650 |
| 1995 | 1,000 |
| 1994 | 550 |
(1) These figures are tentative and subject to a wide margin of error.
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