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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 16 July 1997
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Statutory Instruments
Sir Richard Body: To ask the President of the Council what percentage of statutory instruments introduced into Parliament in (a) 1976, (b) 1986 and (c) 1996 had the European Union as their legislative source; if she will take steps to introduce a physical distinction in the publication of such statutory instruments in the future; and if she will make a statement. [6482]
Mrs. Ann Taylor: The total number of Statutory Instruments (SIs) registered as General Instruments in 1976, 1986 and 1996 was:
| Year | Number of SIs |
|---|---|
| 1976 | 1,168 |
| 1986 | 1,359 |
| 1996 | 1,832 |
Source:
Statutory Instruments Publication Office. Statutory Instruments are classified as General Instruments if they are in the nature of a public general Act. SIs may also be registered as Local Instruments if they are in the nature of local and personal or private Acts. SIs implementing EC legislation will always be classified as General Instruments.
| Year | Number of SIs |
|---|---|
| 1976 | 26 |
| 1986 | 28 |
| 1996 | 80 |
Source:
Butterworth's EC Legislation Implementator 1997, Issue 1. The figures are based on material collated up to 31 October 1996 and relate to Directives in force on that date. Directives for which no implementing material has been identified, or which have been repealed or spent, have not been included.
I have no plans to introduce a physical distinction in the publication of such Statutory Instruments.
An earlier answer given by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Official Report, 28 January 1997, columns 131-32 gave figures for the number of Statutory
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Instruments implementing EC Directives between 1992 to 95. An error has since been discovered in the compilation of these figures and corrected figures are now given in the table.
| Year | Number of SIs |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 124 |
| 1993 | 86 |
| 1994 | 137 |
| 1995 | 127 |
| 1996 | 80 |
Select Committee on European Legislation
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the President of the Council how many (a) regulations, (b) directives and (c) other documents placed before the Council of Ministers were not considered by the Select Committee on European Legislation prior to the dissolution; and if she will take steps to notify (i) hon. Members and (ii) others of the outstanding documents. [8506]
Mrs. Ann Taylor: Forty-eight items of business were not considered by the Select Committee on European Legislation prior to the dissolution. These included 14 proposals for Councils regulations, nine proposals for Council directives and 25 other documents.
I have asked the Clerk of the Select Committee on European Legislation to send details of all remaining business before the Committee to the hon. Member, and to place a copy in the Library of the House.
TREASURY
Dividend Tax Credits
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the Government Actuary's estimates of the effect of the Budget proposal to end dividend tax credits on the ability of funded public sector pension schemes to meet their current and future liabilities; and if he will estimate the increased contributions that will be necessary for each scheme. [7403]
Dawn Primarolo: The position will vary from scheme to scheme depending on factors such as the type of scheme, the make up of its investment portfolio and its financial circumstances. For example, many schemes have surpluses which can be used to cushion the effect. Pension schemes should also benefit from improved company performance as a result of encouraging quality long-term investment.
The employers' contribution rates to each individual funded public sector scheme are determined by the funds' own actuarial adviser--not necessarily the Government Actuary. Actuarial revaluations take account of all relevant considerations, including the high returns earned by many funds in recent years, as well as the changes to dividend tax credits.
Tax Loopholes
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made for the financial years
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1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000, of the tax yield for each of the measures enacted in the Finance Act 1997 aimed at closing tax loopholes. [3376]
Dawn Primarolo:
The information requested is shown in the following table.
| £ million yield (+)/cost (-) of measure | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-avoidance and revenue | Changes from an indexed base | ||
| protection measures | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 |
| Inland Revenue | |||
| Finance leasing of assets | 80 | 150 | 150 |
| Capital gains tax: treatment of securities | 5 | 15 | 20 |
| Stamp duty reserve tax bearer securities | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Countering contrived claims to double taxation relief | (1)-- | 50 | 50 |
| PAYE/NICs avoidance: payment in "own company" shares | 110 | 30 | 30 |
| Futures and Options--counter avoidance devices | (1)-- | 50 | 50 |
| Artificial annuties paid by insurance companies | 10 | 20 | 20 |
| Tax relief for profit related pay-- phased out | 200 | 800 | 1,800 |
| Capital allowances--long life assets | 45 | 325 | 675 |
| Relief for drilling production oil wells | (1)-- | 150 | 200 |
| Customs and Excise | |||
| Purchase of international supplies | (1)-- | (1)-- | (1)-- |
| VAT on supplies of Land and property | 70 | 110 | 120 |
| Insurance premium tax to 17.5 per cent. on insurance sold with certain goods and services | 160 | 235 | 260 |
| Bad debt relief | 120 | 175 | 165 |
| Telecommunications and similar services | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| Sale of donated goods | (1)-- | (1)-- | (1)-- |
| Charitable providers of care | (1)-- | (1)-- | (1)-- |
| Separation of businesses to get below VAT threshold | (1)-- | (1)-- | (1)-- |
Notes:
(1) Negligible effects on revenue amounting to less than £3 million a year.
The yields represent the estimated direct effect of the measures with the existing level of activity. Without these measures there could be a more significant loss of revenue in the future.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress of the PFI project for the refurbishment of the Government Offices, Great George Street. [3369]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson: Confidential discussions are continuing with Exchequer Partnership plc. A statement will be made in due course.
Tax Changes
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effects of the tax changes announced in the Budget on each decile of household income. [8142]
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Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 11 July 1997]: Estimates of the impact on households of the tax changes announced in the Budget which we can directly model are contained in the table below. The figures show the direct impact of the measures on households. They do not reflect the long term benefits of the Budget, including New Deal spending which will help to move the long-term unemployed from welfare into work; and the long term benefits of reducing Government borrowing.
| Household income decile | Change (£ per week) | As a percentage of net income |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom | -0.30 | -0.25 |
| 2 | -0.35 | -0.25 |
| 3 | -0.45 | -0.25 |
| 4 | -0.80 | -0.35 |
| 5 | -1.15 | -0.40 |
| 6 | -1.30 | -0.40 |
| 7 | -1.55 | -0.40 |
| 8 | -1.80 | -0.40 |
| 9 | -2.05 | -0.40 |
| Top | -2.35 | -0.30 |
| Average | -1.20 | -0.35 |
The figures include the main tax measures directly affecting households which can be modelled: reduction of VAT on fuel and power to 5 per cent., reducing the Gas Levy to zero, reducing in MIRAS to 10 per cent., real increase in tobacco duty of 5 per cent., real increase in road fuel duty of 6 per cent., and abolition of tax relief on Private Medical Insurance. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5p, or 0.05 per cent.
| Household income decile | Change (£ per week) | As a percentage of Net Income |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 3 | -0.10 | -0.05 |
| 4 | -0.40 | -0.15 |
| 5 | -0.70 | -0.25 |
| 6 | -0.90 | -0.25 |
| 7 | -1.15 | -0.30 |
| 8 | -1.40 | -0.30 |
| 9 | -1.65 | -0.30 |
| Top | -1.95 | -0.25 |
| Average | -0.80 | -0.25 |
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