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VAT (Health Service)
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the annual cost to (a) the NHS and (b) social services of the Value Added Tax (Drugs, Medicines and Aids for the Handicapped) Order 1997. [18641]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 3 December 1997]: The NHS and Local Authorities are funded to take account of VAT. The Order seeks to close tax avoidance arrangements.
Charity Shops
Mr. Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he is planning to the VAT status and business rate status of charity shops; and if he will make a statement. [18996]
Dawn Primarolo: A Review of Charities' Taxation was announced in the July Budget. Since then charities have been giving their views and proposals to Customs and Excise, who are now analysing them. We expect to publish a consultation document in Spring 1998.
The Department of the Environment, Transport, and the Regions is also considering the issue of business rates reliefs for charity shops as part of their Review of Local Authority Finance. A consultation document is due to be published shortly.
Insurance Premium Tax
Mr. Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reform insurance premium tax; and if he will make a statement. [18997]
Dawn Primarolo: As with all taxes, insurance premium tax is kept under review and changes will be made if and when appropriate.
Smuggling
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to eliminate the smuggling into the United Kingdom of goods which are subject to substantially lower rates of duty and taxation in other parts of the European Union; and what representations he has received from proprietors of convenience stores on those measures. [19204]
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 against illegal trade. Customs announced new measures on 26 September 1997 to crack down on hired vehicles used for smuggling.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor 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
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conducted in partnership with all the trade sectors concerned and with key Government Departments, will be completed by the end of the year.
I have received a number of representations on this subject from businesses and members of the public; the records do not separately distinguish those from proprietors of convenience stores.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the proposed working family tax credit will (a) be available only to families with dependent children and (b) only benefit those who currently have zero tax liabilities. [19031]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 4 December 1997]: The Government are considering all options.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the proposed working family tax credit will be withdrawn as income rises. [19032]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 4 December 1997]: The working families tax credit could provide a highly effective way of targeting help at low-income families. The Government are considering all the options for its potential design and delivery.
Audrey Wise:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much time the young people who are to be trained as child carers under his proposals will spend on that training in hours per week and over what period of time; and to what level they will be trained. [18824]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
I have been asked to reply. Under the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds, young people undertaking training as child carers through the Full Time Education and Training option will spend up to 12 months in full-time study towards approved qualifications at NVQ Level 2 or, exceptionally, NVQ Level 3. Those undertaking training through the Employment or Voluntary Sector options will study for a minimum of the equivalent of one day per week, for up to 6 months, towards approved qualifications at NVQ Level 2 or, if appropriate, Level 3.
Higher Education
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to encourage young people to enter higher education and to complete their courses. [18798]
Mr. Byers: The Government's approach to raising school standards, exemplified by our School Standards and Framework Bill, is designed to raise educational achievement. While there are other factors influencing the participation of young people in higher education, achievement of the required entry qualifications is by far the most significant.
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated cost of
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preparing, printing and publishing his Department's communications which have been sent to educational institutions explaining the Government's policies on higher education. [19506]
Dr. Howells:
The cost, since 1 May 1997, of preparing, printing and publishing communications explaining the Government's policies on higher education is £64,500.
UK universities and colleges have traditionally achieved high retention rates and we see no reason for this changing. Research evidence suggests there are several reasons why students drop out of higher education and it is primarily for universities and colleges, through appropriate support, counselling and advice both before and after admission, to address these.
We expect our plans to introduce a fairer system of financial support for students will help encourage young people to participate, and subsequently complete their courses, in higher education.
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment his Department has made of the effect of this year's summer literacy schools on the reading standards of the pupils who participated. [19505]
Mr. Byers:
The Department published its assessment of the effect of this year's Summer Literacy Schools scheme in a summary report published on 20 November. A copy is in the Library.
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if students attending further education colleges as part of the New Deal programme will continue to receive social security benefits. [19524]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
Participants on the Full-Time Education and Training Option of the New Deal for young people aged 18 to 24 will receive an allowance equivalent to their usual Jobseeker's Allowance payments, and will retain entitlement to any passported benefits.
Young people in the other three New Deal options may attend a further education college part-time, under the education and training element of those options. Participants in the Employment option will be paid a wage. Those in the Environment Task Force and Voluntary Sector Options will receive either a wage or an allowance equivalent to their usual benefits plus a grant amounting to £15.38 per week, plus any passported benefits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's (a) Ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19367]
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Dr. Howells:
Car park spaces used by the Department for Education and Employment are detailed in the table.
| Ministers | Employees | Visitors | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DfEE London HQ | 6 | 40 | 7 | 53 |
| DfEE HQ Outside London | Nil | 703 | 109 | 812 |
| Employment Service (ES) | Nil | 7,200 | ||
| 7,200 | ||||
| Total | 6 | 743 | 116 | 8,065 |
ES figure includes 200 spaces in central London.
Compulsory Retirement
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his Department's policy on compulsory retirement ages for its employees. [19507]
Dr. Howells: The normal retirement age for all staff in this Department is 60. Some staff may be retained past age 60, but only if they are fit and efficient and there is a need for their service.
Class Sizes
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his decision to compel St. Andrew's GM Church of England Primary School, Weeley, Essex, to take an extra pupil into their year 1 class; and what is his policy in circumstances when such enrolments result in class sizes of over 30. [19490]
Mr. Byers: The Government have pledged to reduce class sizes for all five, six or seven-year-olds to 30 or below. We will achieve this by the end of the Parliament. The School Standards and Framework Bill will impose a duty on LEAs and schools to comply with class size limits prescribed by the Secretary of State. Until such limits come into force, there may continue to be circumstances in which infant class sizes exceed 30. This may, very occasionally, follow a direction under section 431 of the Education Act 1996. In the case of St. Andrew's School in Weeley, the Secretary of State decided that the LEA's direction should stand.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what target date he has set for every child aged between five and seven years to be taught in a class of 30 pupils or fewer. [19182]
Mr. Byers: We shall honour our pledge to reduce class sizes to 30 or below for every five, six and seven year-old by the end of this Parliament.
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