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TREASURY
Tax (Self-assessment)
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he plans to take to correct errors in the instructions in tax self-assessment forms in connection with single premium bonds. [17231]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 25 November 1997]: This has been discussed with Tax Offices and Taxpayer Representative Bodies and corrective procedures put in place. It affects a very small number of people.
Dividends (Tax Credits)
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 November 1997, Official
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Report,
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson [holding answer 1 December 1997]: Confirmation was sought and given, informally, to the US Government that their understanding of the Budget changes to the UK's CT legislation was correct, insofar as it related to payments of tax credits on dividends received by US residents. It would not be appropriate to publish the identities of others who have made representations, or the nature of their comments, without their prior consent.
Alcohol Duty
Mr. Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the results of the review of duty on alcoholic drinks. [18185]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 1 December 1997]: The review team, which is looking into the effects on the Exchequer and industry revenue of alcohol and tobacco fraud, smuggling and cross-border shopping, are due to report by the end of December. After considering the report, I will decide when to publish.
Mr. Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the review of alcohol duties is taking into account projections on the Treasury economic model of the effects of differential duties. [18184]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 1 December 1997]: The review is looking into the effects on the Exchequer and industry revenue of alcohol and tobacco fraud, smuggling and cross-border shopping. The effects of differential duties on the Treasury economic model is a separate issue.
Duty Free Trade
Mr. Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received supporting the continuation of the duty free system after June 1999. [18158]
Dawn Primarolo: My Treasury colleagues and I have received 257 letters from hon. Members on behalf of constituents in support of the continuation of intra-EU duty free sales after June 1999.
Tobacco Smuggling
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to eradicate the smuggling of tobacco from the continent into the United Kingdom [18546]
Dawn Primarolo:
The number of front-line Customs staff to deal with Single Market excise smuggling has been significantly increased in the last 15 months. An extra 70 have been allocated throughout the country under the Spend to Save initiative. In addition, a further 30, backed up by specialist investigation officers, are currently being deployed at Dover to intensify the drive
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against the illegal trade. Customs announced new measures on 26 September 1997 to crack down on hired vehicles used for smuggling.
My right hon. Friend announced in his Budget a review of the effects on the Exchequer and the industry of alcohol and tobacco fraud, smuggling and cross-border shopping. The review, which is being conducted in partnership with all the trade sectors concerned and with key Government departments, will report to me by the end of the year with options for dealing with these issues.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the seizures of (a) alcohol, (b) cigarettes and (c) rolling tobacco at ports of entry to the United Kingdom in 1994, 1995, 1996; and what are the latest available figures. [18371]
Dawn Primarolo:
Detections throughout the UK of goods smuggled from the Single Market were as follows, in terms of the duty (in £ million) that should have been paid.
| 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1996-97 | 1996-97 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 0.8 | 2.75 | 8 | 11.8 |
| Cigarettes | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 5.3 |
| Handling Rolling Tobacco | 1 | 3.1 | 5.6 | 12.3 |
Economic and Monetary Union
Mr. Gill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place between the European Monetary Institute and the United States Federal Reserve over joint management of global currency matters after Economic and Monetary Union. [17219]
Mrs. Liddell: Treasury Ministers cannot answer for any discussions that may have taken place between these independent bodies.
International Monetary Fund (Korea)
Mr. Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the negotiations between the IMF and Korea. [19463]
Mr. Gordon Brown: I am pleased the Managing Director of the IMF has reported today agreement with the Korean authorities to a strong programme, which he will recommend to the Board of the IMF. If the programme is agreed, the UK is prepared with some of our European and other G7 partners to consider, if needed, supplementary finance in support of the programme. The UK would consider an amount up to the equivalent of $1.25 billion. Any loan would depend on a financing need and would only be made with agreement by the IMF. Were such a loan to be made it would be advanced by the Bank of England to the Central Bank of Korea. The Treasury would provide to the Bank of England an indemnity under the International Monetary Arrangements Act 1983 .
Export Initiative
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the Minister for Firms, Trade and Industry was informed of the termination of the Home Office Export Initiative. [16213]
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Mrs. Roche
[holding answer 17 November 1997]: I have been asked to reply.
I wrote to the hon. Member about this matter on 19 November and I have placed a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will itemise and place in the Library copies of RUC correspondence, submissions and monitoring returns to the Fair Employment Commission in the past eight years. [13072]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 6 November 1997]: Correspondence and submissions between any organisation and the Fair Employment Commission are confidential. As such it is not considered appropriate to make this information public.
However the monitoring returns for the past eight years will be placed in the library.
Personal Security
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals have been advised about personal safety by the RUC or notified that their personal details may have come into the possession of paramilitary organisations in each of the last four years, indicating where possible the community affiliation of the individuals affected. [15896]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 18 November 1997]: The information sought is not readily available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
Artificial Breasts and Limbs
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the shortest current waiting time for (a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients for the fitting of a prosthesis following (i) the amputation of a leg and (ii) breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. [17893]
Mr. Worthington: No one is waiting outside the three week timescale for the fitting of a prosthesis. Information relating to breast reconstruction is not available centrally.
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Eastern Health and Social Services Board treats (a) breast reconstruction following a mastectomy and (b) the fitting of a prosthesis following amputation of a limb as a cosmetic procedure. [17904]
Mr. Worthington: (a) Breast reconstruction following a mastectomy is generally regarded by the Eastern Board, as a cosmetic procedure. The Board and the surgeons who carry out this operation are however very aware of the deep distress which patients who wish to undergo reconstruction may suffer while waiting.
(b) The Board takes a different view of the fitting of a prosthesis following amputation of a limb and does not regard that as a cosmetic procedure.
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Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients are currently waiting for the fitting of a prosthesis following the amputation of (i) an arm and (ii) a leg. [17900]
Mr. Worthington:
No distinction is made between non-fundholder and fundholder patients. Fitting is completed within three weeks of a patient being ready to commence prosthetic treatment following amputation. No one is currently waiting outside this timescale.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has to commit additional resources for breast reconstruction following mastectomies. [17882]
Mr. Worthington:
The Eastern Board, following receipt of additional funding, has agreed, at the request of the Royal Group of Hospitals, to purchase a further seven breast reconstruction procedures there. The Board also intends to pay for a further 100 plastic surgery procedures and 340 general surgery procedures at the Ulster Hospital. These may include post mastectomy reconstruction but this will depend on decisions by the appropriate consultants about clinical priority.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many GP fundholder patients have had a mastectomy in 1996-97; [17902]
Mr. Worthington:
The number of inpatient episodes involving procedures for total or other excision of the breast in health service hospitals in Northern Ireland during the year 1996-97 was 1,652. Of these episodes, 728 involved patients of GP fundholders and 895 involved patients of non-fundholders. Central records do not distinguish whether the GP was a fundholder or a non-fundholder for the remaining 29 episodes.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many breast reconstructions following mastectomy the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has contracted for in the current financial year; and what funds have been committed to purchase these services. [17901]
Mr. Worthington:
In the normal process the Eastern Board does not contract specifically for breast reconstruction as this is commissioned as either a general surgery or plastic surgery procedure. It is not therefore possible to say what funds have been committed to purchase procedures of this kind in 1997-98.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many GP fundholders patients who have had a mastectomy have been advised to have breast reconstruction in 1996-97; and how many have had their operation for reconstruction delayed by more than three months; [17887]
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(3) how many GP non-fundholder patients who have had a mastectomy were advised to have breast reconstruction in 1996-97; and how many of these have had their operation for reconstruction delayed by more than three months; [17884]
(4) how many (a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients are currently waiting for reconstruction of breast surgery following a mastectomy. [17899]
Mr. Worthington:
The information is not available centrally.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what consultations the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has had with medical experts in respect of the allocation of resources for breast reconstruction; [17880]
Mr. Worthington:
In August additional funding was made available, some of it for waiting list pressures. The Eastern Board approached the Trusts in its area to ask for proposals from them for waiting list work. The Royal Group put forward, inter alia a proposal for the treatment of seven additional patients requiring breast reconstruction to which the Board has agreed. The Ulster Hospital in its response indicated that it could undertake 100 additional plastic surgery procedures and 240 in general surgery. The appropriate consultants will consider the clinical priority of those waiting, including the one patient waiting for post mastectomy reconstruction on the plastic surgery list at the Ulster. The Board has also advised that it has not received any indication of concerns about this specific service from any of the Trusts providing it either in respect of waiting times or the level of investment in it.
(2) how many GP non-fundholder patients had a mastectomy in 1996-97. [17883]
Source:
Hospital Inpatients System. Figures for 1996-97 are provisional.
(2) what is the longest current waiting time for (a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients for reconstruction of breast surgery following a mastectomy; [17897]
(2) what consultation the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has had with surgeons specialising in breast surgery over (a) delays in breast reconstruction treatment following mastectomies and (b) the priority accorded to this treatment. [17881]
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