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Basic Pension Plus
Ms Harman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change in the amount of tax which people on (1) (a) a quarter, (b) a half and (c) three quarters of average earnings and (2) average earnings can expect to pay (i) over their working life and (ii) over their lifetime under the proposed tax regime of the Government's basic pension plus proposal, relative to the existing tax regime. [20435]
Mr. Jack
[holding answer 17 March 1997]: The precise details of the scheme will be decided in the light of full consultation on the Green Paper. Estimates of the amount of tax paid by people over their working life and entire lifetime would also depend on the exact nature of changes in the tax regime, work patterns and life expectancy. Broadly speaking, over a lifetime, the two different tax treatments are equivalent from the saver's
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point of view--apart from the treatment of the lump sum--as long as the person's marginal rates of tax are the same in work and in retirement.
Ms Harman:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the level in 2040 of the single and married person's tax allowances for those over the age of 65 years if these allowances are uprated in line with (a) prices and (b) earnings; and what proportion of average earnings this would represent. [20433]
Mr. Jack
[holding answer 17 March 1997]: Allowances at 1996-97 prices and the proportion of average earnings these represent are in the tables.
| Increased in line with | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prices | Earnings(10) | |
| For people aged 65 to 74 | ||
| Personal allowance | 4,910 | 11,740 |
| Married couple's allowance(11) | 3,115 | 7,455 |
| For people aged 75 and over | ||
| Personal allowance | 5,090 | 12,170 |
| Married couple's allowance(11) | 3,155 | 7,545 |
(10) Assuming a 2 per cent. real growth in earnings each year and without statutory rounding in annual increase.
(11) Tax relief for these allowances is restricted to 15 per cent.
| ased in line with | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prices Per cent. | Earnings Per cent. | |
| For people aged 65-74 | ||
| Personal allowance | 11 | 27 |
| Married couple's allowance | 7 | 17 |
| For people aged 75 and over | ||
| Personal allowance | 12 | 28 |
| Married couple's allowance | 7 | 17 |
UK Overseas Investments
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of United Kingdom overseas investments are in (a) Germany, (b) the European Union, (c) the United States of America, and (d) the rest of the world. [20686]
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.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Andrew Hunter, dated 19 March 1997:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on the overseas investment.
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The figures requested are shown in the table below. They are based on flows and stock of direct investment overseas i.e. where the United Kingdom company has a significant and lasting interest in an enterprise operating overseas. No information is available centrally regarding the geographical breakdown of portfolio investment overseas.
| Area | Flows during 1995 | Stock at end 1995 |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 6 | 5 |
| EU (including Germany) | 37 | 36 |
| USA | 40 | 31 |
| Rest of the world | 23 | 33 |
Office for National Statistics
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has agreed the business plan for the Office for National Statistics for the period 1997-2000. [21421]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Yes. Copies of the plan, giving details of the performance targets I have set for 1997-98, have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Public Authorities (Restitution)
Mr. Gill: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to implement the recommendations in the Law Commission report "Restitution: Mistakes of Law and Ultra Vires Public Authority Receipts and Payments" (Law Com. No. 227).[21456]
Mr. Streeter: The Government have given careful consideration to the report, which makes recommendations falling under two quite separate heads. The Government have accepted the Law Commission's recommendations for general legislation on the restitution of benefits conferred under a mistake of law and will introduce legislation implementing those recommendations when a suitable opportunity arises. The further recommendations, relating to ultra vires receipts by public authorities, raise other issues, which we are now considering.
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open Government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20939]
Mr. Streeter: The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.
The Legal Aid Board is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, scrutiny by the National Audit Office, statutory provisions for open government, performance indicators and provisions under the citizens charter. It is not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.
19 Mar 1997 : Column: 623
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members's interests; and if this is in each case (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20892]
Mr. Streeter:
The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.
The Legal Aid Board publishes annual reports which are laid before Parliament. Annual accounts are included in that report, as is information about the background of board members. The board does not publish the agendas or minutes of meetings of the board or its committees. There are statutory requirements for the board to publish information as to the discharge of its functions in relation to legal aid and for the Lord Chancellor to lay before each House of Parliament a copy of every statement of accounts and report of the auditors sent to him in accordance with requirements under the Legal Aid Act 1988.
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who arbitrates in instances where the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors is unable to agree with the Legal Services Ombudsman in respect of complaints dealt with by both bodies. [20849]
Mr. Streeter:
There is no provision for arbitration in such cases. However, the Legal Services Ombudsman has confirmed that, in practice, the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors complies with all his recommendations to pay compensation to a compliant. In cases where the ombudsman recommends that a compliant be reconsidered, recommendations will have been complied with once the Office has formally reconsidered the complaint. The ombudsman cannot direct the office to arrive at a particular decision.
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if he will make a statement on the composition of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors; [20850]
Mr. Streeter:
The composition of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors and the handling of complaints are matters for the Law Society and the office.
During 1996, the Legal Services Ombudsman reported on 1,282 cases dealt with by the office and its predecessor, the Solicitors Complaints Bureau. In 389--30 per cent.--of those reports, there was a finding favourable to the complainant in that the ombudsman made a
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recommendation in their favour or recorded a formal criticism of the professional bodies handling of the original complaint.
(2) what criteria the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors employs in determining complaints referred to it; how many complaints it has received to date; how many complaints have been referred to the Legal Services Ombudsman; and in respect of how many of these the ombudsman has found in favour of the plaintiff. [20852]
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