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Economic Stability
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of whether economic stability is a precondition for high and stable levels of growth and employment; and if he will assess the correlation between those factors in the period 1977 to 1997. [6845]
Mrs. Liddell: I refer my hon. Friend to the Financial Statement and Budget Report laid before the House on 2 July, and in particular chapters 1 and 3.
Internet
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to amend the rules relating to VAT on commercial activities conducted on the Internet; and if he will make a statement. [6273]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 3 July 1997]: Customs are closely involved in initiatives with both the European Union and the OECD which are seeking to identify solutions to the perceived problems with trading over the Internet. It is important that any changes made are done so in concert with other countries so that the risk of double or non-taxation of these supplies is avoided.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money he estimates is lost to the Treasury by people failing to pay duties on commercial transactions conducted over the Internet; and if he will make a statement. [6274]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 3 July 1997]: There is no reliable estimate of revenue lost in this way.
Value Added Tax
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy in respect of reducing VAT on equipment specially (a) designed and (b) adapted for disabled use. [6430]
7 Jul 1997 : Column: 321
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 3 July 1997]: There is already VAT relief on equipment designed solely for use by disabled people and the service of adapting goods for use by them. Such supplies are zero-rated for VAT purposes.
County Court Closures
Mr. Hill: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county courts have been closed in each of the last five years. [6237]
Mr. Hoon: The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Keith Hill, dated 7 July 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about how many county courts have closed in each of the last five years.
The figures are as follows:
1993: 5 court closures
1994: 16 court closures
1995: 8 court closures
1996: 13 court closures
1997: 2 court closures (to date).
Although 44 courts have been closed in total, 15 of those still provide a service for office callers but have no hearing facilities. Additionally, 19 of the courts closed have undertaken to continue local District Judges sittings in suitable accommodation subject to demand.
Small Claims
Mr. Hill: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions a party to a case which is subject to automatic reference to small claims arbitration has (a) applied for and (b) been granted an application for recission of the reference in the last 12 months. [6229]
Mr. Hoon: The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Keith Hill, dated 7 July 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of occasions a party whose case has been referred to automatic small claims arbitration have applied for, and been granted, recission.
The number of occasions in the 12 months from April 1996 up to March 1997 when a party has applied for recission to automatic arbitration is 738. The actual number who were granted recission is 622.
Litigants
Mr. Hill:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will estimate the total number of litigants entitled to a refund of court fees paid between 15 January and 13 March and the total cost to the Court Service of repaying fees. [6231]
7 Jul 1997 : Column: 322
Mr. Hoon:
The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the Hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Keith Hill, dated 7 July 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the numbers of litigants entitled to a refund of court fees paid and the total cost of this to the Court Service.
Mr. Hoon:
The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Keith Hill, dated 7 July 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of litigants who have applied for and been granted refunds of court fees.
Mr. Hoon:
The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Keith Hill, dated 7 July 1997:
7 Jul 1997 : Column: 323
Mr. Hill:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many litigants have (a) applied for and (b) were granted a refund of court fees paid between 15 January and 13 March in (i) county court proceedings, (ii) high court proceedings and (iii) family proceedings. [6234]
The information requested is unknown and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hill:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many litigants in person have issued proceedings in (a) the county court, (b) the county court under the small claims procedure, (c) the High Court and (d) the Court of Appeal in each of the last five years. [6230]
Detailed figures of refunds of court fees to litigants in person are not held centrally, and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost. However, information is collected on the total number of refunds and is broken down into months and fees by type of fees order (County, Supreme, Family). This information is as follows but is only available for the months of March, April and May.
County Supreme Family Total
March 327 1 2,349 2,677
April 367 31 3,254 3,652
May 237 9 1,246 1,492
931 41 6,849 7,821
The parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about proceedings issued by litigants in person over the last five years.
Detailed statistics for actions instigated by litigants in person are not held centrally, and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
Court Fees
Mr. Hill: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many litigants who have (a) applied for and (b) been granted a refund of court fees paid between 15 January and 13 March were in receipt of (i) income support, (ii) income-related jobseeker's allowance, (iii) family credit, (iv) disability working allowance and (v) housing benefit. [6232]
Mr. Hoon: The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Keith Hill, dated 7 July 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of litigants who have applied for and been granted refunds in respect of court fees.
Details of refunds of court fees to litigants in person are not held centrally in the terms requested, and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost. However, information is collected on the total number of refunds and the total money refunded and is available for March, April and May. During these months 7,821 refunds were granted. The total sum refunded was £242,816.90.
Office Refurbishment
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the cost of the current refurbishment of offices used by his Department within the Palace of Westminster. [6567]
Mr. Hoon: There is currently no refurbishment work being carried out in the offices used by the Lord Chancellor's Department within the Palace of Westminster. There is however, a proposal to refurbish, in a way consistent with the conservation and preservation of a building of such outstanding national importance, the Lord Chancellor's Official Residence together with the office he uses in the Palace of Westminster. This is shortly to be considered by the House of Lords Administration and Works Sub Committee who will decide how to proceed on the basis of a memorandum submitted by Black Rod, who is independent of the Lord Chancellor and responsible for the care and upkeep of the House of Lords accommodation within the Palace of Westminster. They still have to take a number of decisions which will affect the costs of the proposal, but it is estimated that the total cost of both projects will be in the region of £650,000.
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