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DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Small Businesses
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many regulations affecting small businesses have come into effect since 1 May; and if he will list them; [13482]
- (2) how many regulations affecting small businesses have been abolished since 1 May; and if he will list them.[13483]
Dr. David Clark: This information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We are committed to reducing the burden of unnecessary regulation, particularly on small business, and ensuring that regulation delivers benefits to ordinary citizens. As promised in our manifesto, we have established the new better regulation task force with half of its members with small business interests. The access business group led by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary is overseeing a range of projects with clear benefits to small business.
Late Payments
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the suppliers to his Department who are owed outstanding amounts, indicating the amounts and the due date on which the account should have been settled. [13536]
Dr. David Clark: For this purpose, I have responsibility for the Cabinet Office, including the Prime Minister's Office and the Office of Public Service and its agencies and the Central Office of Information.
All Departments are required to pay their bills within agreed contract terms, or 30 days from recept of the goods or services or a valid invoice, whichever is the later, where no such terms exist. Such detailed information on payment performance for the current financial year could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Treasury will shortly be publishing a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996-97.
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Welfare to Work
17. Mr. Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had about the implementation of his welfare-to-work strategy. [12665]
20. Mr. Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with industry about his welfare-to-work strategy. [12668]
21. Mrs. Heal: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with employers about his welfare-to-work strategy. [12669]
23. Laura Moffatt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with employers about his welfare-to-work strategy. [12671]
32. Ms Kelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with business about his welfare-to-work strategy. [12680]
36. Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with business about the implementation of his welfare-to-work strategy.[12684]
Mr. Gordon Brown: The participation of employers is crucial to the success of the welfare-to-work programme. Since I launched the welfare-to-work programme at a business breakfast at No. 11, the Government have had extensive contacts with a wide range of employers--nationally and locally; in small firms and large--and in every sector of the economy and every region of the country.
The response and good will has been extremely encouraging, Sainsbury's, Tesco, BT, Lloyds bank, Ford, Rover, Marks and Spencer, Unipart, WH Smith--and many others--are coming up with ways that they can help the new deal. They realise that helping young people move from welfare to work is in the interest of business as well as the young people themselves. It is only by helping to improve the skills and employability of our young people that we can address the long-standing weaknesses of our economy and allow businesses to thrive.
Foreign Income Dividends
18. Mr. Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made regarding the consultation process on the budget proposals for the future of FIDs. [12666]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson: In response to the invitation I announced in the Finance Bill Standing Committee on 22 July, we have received a number of representations on behalf of UK-owned companies and UK investment funds that obtain a high proportion of their profits from overseas. These representations are being carefully considered with a view to finding a way forward following the abolition of FIDs in 1999 in 1999 that balances the interests of the Exchequer with those of the companies involved.
Advance Corporation Tax
19. Mr. Brake:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from
30 Oct 1997 : Column: 881
the London borough of Sutton concerning the effect of abolition of the advance corporation tax refund on local authorities. [12667]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
The leader of the council of the London borough of Sutton wrote to the Government on 22 July about the impact of the loss of these tax credits to local authority pension funds. In my reply to him, I explained that the extent to which these changes affect local authority budgets will depend on the overall judgments made by the funds' actuaries as they undertake revaluations due from next year.
37. Mr. Paice:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total pension fund available at the age of 65 years to an individual currently aged 35 years who remains on average earnings throughout his working life as a result of his changes to ACT. [12685]
Dawn Primarolo:
No estimate is available.
22. Mr. Walter:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the consequences of British entry into the European single currency in 1999. [12670]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
I have received a wide range of representations on the consequences of British entry into the European single currency.
25. Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what actions he has taken against employers who deduct tax and national insurance contributions from their employees but fail to pass them on the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement. [12673]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Inland Revenue will take appropriate action to secure payment of unpaid pay-as-you-earn and associated national insurance contributions, commensurate with the amount outstanding and the period during which it remains unpaid. The decision on what enforcement action is appropriate is made in the light of the particular circumstances of each case.
The Inland Revenue publishes a code of practice on collection of amounts due from employers--code of practice 7--which is available from tax offices and explains the recovery action it will take and taxpayer's rights and obligations.
26. Mr. Quinn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in attracting private participation in public investment projects. [12674]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
Implementation of the Bates review of the private finance initiative is streamlining the initiative, reducing costs to the public and private sectors and making such investment a much more attractive proposition. Recent major contracts, such as Dartford and Gravesham hospital and Clarendon school, provide real evidence of the benefits to be gained from public-private partnerships.
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27. Mr. Khabra:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board. [12675]
Mrs. Liddell:
The Chancellor meets with the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board from time to time.
28. Ms Kingham
: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the representations he has received on his reforms to the Bank of England. [12676]
Mr. Darling:
The Bill that was published on 28 October will put on a statutory footing the important reforms to the Bank of England, which we announced in May. These reforms have been widely welcomed and will be a significant step towards reducing short-termism and putting decision making on the right basis to deliver the long-term growth and employment that is a major objective of our economic policy. The Bill also represents a major move toward creating the single regulator that will deliver more effective and efficient regulation for financial services.
29. Mr. Bill Michie
: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to ensure economic stability. [12677]
Mrs. Liddell:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, North (Mr. Cranston).
30. Dr. Cable:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current sterling exchange rate. [12678]
Mrs. Liddell:
Sterling has fallen back in recent months and has been more stable. The Government want to see a stable and competitive pound over the medium term, consistent with the objective of price stability.
35. Ms Stuart:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he intends to take to protect manufacturing industry in the west midlands from the adverse effects of the current sterling exchange rate. [12683]
Mrs. Liddell:
The Government want a stable competitive pound over the medium term, consistent with the objective of price stability. Industry is best helped by Government preventing any return to the cycle of boom and bust, and to pursue sound, long-term macroeconomic policies.
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