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Cash Limits
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Departments overspent their allocated budget in financial year 1996-97; by how much each overspent its allocated budget; which Departments have had to reduce their budgets in financial year 1997-98 as a consequence; which Departments were allowed a claim on the reserve for all or part of their overspend; and how much each Department was allowed to claim from the reserve. [14026]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 3 November 1997]: The Ministry of Defence breached its overall cash limit for 1996-97 by £246 million. It was the only Department to do so. No claim on the Reserve was agreed in respect of the overspend in 1996-97, but the overspend did increase the control total outturn for 1996-97. Following an investigation into the causes of the breach it was decided that the Ministry of Defence should reduce its overall cash limit for 1997-98 by £168 million.
The reduction in 1997-98 is less than the overspend for two reasons. The first is that the Ministry of Defence received £40 million of extra receipts in 1996-97 which could not be appropriated in aid of the Ministry's Votes, because no provision had been made for them in the Estimates presented to Parliament. These receipts had to be surrendered by the Ministry directly to the Consolidated Fund, and so they could not be included in calculating the Ministry's overspend against the cash limit on its votes. Allowance was made for this in determining the size of the reduction in the cash limit in 1997-98. Secondly, allowance was also made for certain technical adjustments made during the course of 1996-97 in connection with the sale of the married quarters estate. These amounted to £38 million.
Computers (Century Date Change)
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish the action plan, due by 1 October 1997, for resolving the computer millennium problem in his Department, its agencies and other public bodies for which he is responsible; if such was fully completed on time; and if he will make a statement; [13562]
- (2) what is his latest estimate of the total cost of resolving the computer millennium problem in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which he is responsible; if he will state in each case (i) expenditure incurred to date, (ii) expenditure planned for 1997-98, (iii) expenditure planned for 1998-99 and (iv) expenditure planned for 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. [13563]
Mr. Liddell
[holding answer 4 November 1997]: The majority of my Departments and agencies have submitted their costed plans to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency on schedule. Those that have not will be doing so shortly.
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The plans will be analysed by the Central Information Technology Unit and the CCTA and the conclusions reported to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who will then inform Parliament. The Plans will be exempted from disclosure under the Open Government Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which permits non-disclosure prior to an announcement. However, once the announcement has been made the plans will be available to the public.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department, its agencies and other public bodies for which he is responsible completed the millennium computer compliance audits of systems; and if he will make a statement. [13565]
Mr. Gordon Brown
[holding answer 4 November 1997]: Year 2000 system audits and inventories were completed by my departments and agencies as follows:
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Treasury | September 1996 |
| Inland Revenue | November 1996 (January 1997 for Valuation Office agency) |
| Customs and Excise | December 1996 |
| Royal Mint(5) | September 1997 |
| National Savings | July 1997 |
| Office for National Statistics | September 1997 |
(5) Systems are regularly reviewed. Date given is for last review.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which (a) Minister and (b) civil servant has overall responsibility for ensuring millennium computer compliance in his Department and its associated public bodies. [13566]
Mr. Gordon Brown [holding answer 4 November 1997]: In view of the importance we are giving to the Year 2000 issue, I will be taking overall responsibility for ensuring that my departments' and agencies' IT systems are compliant. At official level, those with overall responsibility are as follows:
| Responsibility | |
|---|---|
| Treasury | Head of IT services |
| Inland Revenue(6) | Deputy Director for the Business and Management Services division |
| Customs and Excise | Head of Corporate Development group |
| Royal Mint | Head of IT |
| National Savings | Director of Operations |
| Office for National Statistics | Director of Survey and Statistical Services division |
(6) Includes Valuation Office.
Departmental Savings
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy for 1997-98 and 1998-99 that savings achieved in one Department can be switched to another Department; and if he will make a statement. [13645]
Mr. Darling
[holding answer 5 November 1997]: The Government are committed to holding to the Control Totals for 1997-98 and 1998-99. Within that it may be appropriate on occasions to find savings from one
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Department to cover increases in another as was done with the NHS this year. Minor transfers will continue in the normal course of business--for example, to meet the costs of new policy initiatives which fall outside the originating Department.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to make further allocations of expenditure to the National Health Service in 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [13292]
Mr. Darling
[holding answer 6 November 1997]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has no plans to make further allocations of expenditure to the National Health Service in 1997-98. An extra £300 million for patient care this winter was announced on 14 October 1997, which has been made available by a reallocation of £270 million from other Department's budgets, plus £30 million in new administrative savings identified within the NHS in England.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy that the existing departmental spending totals for 1998-99 will be adhered to; what is his policy on the transfer of expenditure savings from one Department to another for 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [13286]
Mr. Darling
[holding answer 6 November 1997]: The Government are committed to holding to the Control Total for 1998-99. Departments known their baselines for 1998-99 and are planning spending accordingly. There are no current plans to reallocate spending between Departments but it may be appropriate on occasion to find savings from one Department to cover increases in another as was done with the NHS this year. Minor transfers will continue in the normal course of business--for example, to meet the cost of new policy initiatives which fall outside the originating Departments.
Mr. John Cryer:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional annual revenue which would accrue to the Treasury if the inheritance tax threshold was returned to the former rate of £150,000. [14704]
Dawn Primarolo:
The full-year effect in 1997-98 of lowering the inheritance tax threshold from £215,000 to £150,00 is estimated to be an increase of £575 million in inheritance tax liability.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what differences in taxation methods apply between bets placed in (a) casinos and (b) betting shops; and if he will make a statement. [14911]
Dawn Primarolo:
The gross gaming yield duty of a casino is liable to gaming duty. The gross gaming yield consists of the total value of stakes, minus players' winnings, on games in which the house is banker and participation charges on games in which the bank is shared by players.
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| Part of gross gaming yield | Rate (per cent.) |
|---|---|
| The first £450,000 | 2½ |
| The next £2,250,000 | 12½ |
| The next £2,700,000 | 25 |
| The remainder | 33 1/3 |
Bets placed with a bookmaker in a betting shop are liable to general betting duty. Duty is due on the total amount staked by betters on all off-course bets. The rate of general betting duty is currently 6¾ per cent.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the system of taxation of casinos. [14912]
Dawn Primarolo:
Gaming duty replaced gaming licence duty on 1 October 1997. A post-implementation review will be conducted after 12 months to evaluate the impact of the changes.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current licence fee paid by casinos; and if he will make a statement. [14913]
Dawn Primarolo:
The requirement for a revenue gaming licence for casinos was removed when gaming duty replaced gaming licence duty on 1 October 1997.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was, in each of the last three years (a) the total amount taken by the casino industry across gaming tables and (b) the total amount paid by the casino industry by way of gaming licence duty in (i) Greater London and (ii) the United Kingdom excluding Greater London. [14914]
Dawn Primarolo:
Customs do not record gaming licence duty receipts in a manner which allows for regional analysis. The annual receipts for the last three years are shown below.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 72,263 |
| 1995-96 | 84,087 |
| 1996-97 | 79,407 |
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