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Welfare to Work
24. Mr Barry Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about his welfare to work strategy. [16608]
35. Mr. Fitzpatrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with industry about his welfare to work strategy. [16619]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
The participation of employers is crucial to the success of the welfare to work initiative. Since I launched the New Deal for unemployed people at
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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 have been extremely encouraging. Sainsburys, 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 the unemployed people move from welfare to work is in the interest of business as well as the unemployed people themselves. It is only by helping to improve skills and employability, that we can address the long-standing weaknesses of our economy and allow businesses to thrive.
25. Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he made of financial regulation in other countries when drawing up his proposals for the new Financial Services Authority. [16609]
Mr. Darling:
The Government are aware of the approaches to regulation taken in other countries but are working to develop the best solution for the United Kingdom. Our plan is for a modernised and harmonised system of financial regulation based around a single regulator, the Financial Services Authority. The reforms will make the United Kingdom a world leader in financial regulation.
30. Dr. Harris:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect of higher than planned inflation on the real value of public expenditure plans in (a) the current and (b) the next financial year. [16614]
Mr. Darling:
Public expenditure planning is carried out on a cash basis. The plans announced in July for the Control Total will be adhered to. Departments need to keep a tight grip on their pay and other costs in order to provide the best possible services to the public.
39. Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the operation of his inflation target regime. [16623]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
I am satisfied that the new monetary policy arrangements will deliver long-term price stability, and prevent a return to the cycle of boom and bust.
36. Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he proposes in respect of the tax treatment of charities. [16620]
Dawn Primarolo:
A review of Charities' Taxation was announced in the Budget. A public consultation document is due to be published in spring 1998, and a consultation process will follow. It is too early to say what the outcome of the review will be.
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38. Mr. Syms:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on those shareholders who have no liability for income tax of his decision to end their eligibility for dividend tax credits from April 1999.[16622]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
All relevant factors were considered when deciding whether shareholders should continue to receive payment of tax credits on their dividend income, including the position of those individual shareholders who are not liable to tax. Given that pension providers and most UK companies are no longer entitled to payment of tax credits on dividends paid on or after 2 July, it would not have been sensible to leave part of the incentive for companies to distribute profits through a payable tax credit to other investors. Nevertheless, tax credits will continue to be paid to non-liable individual shareholders until 1999, when they will have the opportunity to switch into Individual Savings Accounts, which will provide a tax-favoured environment for savings.
40. Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new fiscal measures he is taking to assist business. [16624]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
The Government are committed to a tax system that encourages employment opportunities and work incentives for all; promotes savings and investment; is fair and is seen to be fair. This is good for the UK and for UK business. The level of taxation on business in the UK is the lowest of any major EU economy and lower than the OECD average.
The Pre-Budget Report presented to Parliament on Tuesday launched a pre-Budget debate on the policies needed to deliver high and stable levels of growth and employment. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced further reform of corporation tax including another 1p cut in the main corporation tax rate and the abolition of advance corporation tax in 1999 together with a move to quarterly payments by larger companies. The spring Budget will include measures to reform capital gains tax to promote long-term investment.
28. Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of potential losses of tax revenues due to international trading on the Internet. [16612]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Government are examining the tax implications of international trading on the Internet in close consultation with other Governments, at OECD and in other forums, and with the business community. The Government's objective, shared with our trading partners, is to ensure that tax revenues are protected without inhibiting the growth of trading on the Internet.
Mr. Caplin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the advantages of establishing a single professional body for the insurance industry under his review of financial services regulation. [17941]
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Mrs. Liddell:
Our planned reforms will create a single statutory regulator for the financial services industry. We have no plans to set up other bodies in this area.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to publish the league table of Departments' payment performance. [18471]
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson:
Departments' performances in paying invoices within the agreed credit terms, or 30 days where no such terms exist, for the period 1 June 1996 to 31 March 1997 are contained in the following table:
Government Departments' (including agencies) payment performance 1996-97
(21) Under Department of the Environment. The figures for 1995-96 and 1996-97 are not directly comparable due to differences in the method of calculation.
The figures for 1996-97 cover a 9 month period from 1 June 1996, from the introduction of the revised method of calculation.
The figures for 1996-97 overlap those in the interim table published on 17 December 1996. This table covers a 9 month period to allow closer comparison to future full year tables.
Questions on individual department's results should be addressed to the relevant department.
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