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Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public consultation took place before setting the objectives and targets detailed in the departmental public service agreements; and if he will make a statement. [65709]
Mr. Milburn [holding answer 14 January 1999]: The Government were elected on specific manifesto commitments which are reflected in the objectives and targets in the Public Service Agreements (PSAs). Departmental PSAs take account of consultation on a range of issues which has taken place since the Government were elected.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to create an independent auditing process for the targets contained in the departmental public service agreements; and if he will make a statement. [65708]
Mr. Milburn [holding answer 14 January 1999]: The Government will report annually on progress against targets in the Public Service Agreements and each department will publish further details in its departmental report. This will allow Parliament and the public to judge independently what progress has been made.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to announce the new Government spending plans for the years beyond 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. [65711]
Mr. Milburn [holding answer 14 January 1999]: Departments' multi-year expenditure limits will be rolled forward for the next three financial years in 2000, as set out in the Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to introduce a 10p starter rate of income tax within the current Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [65710]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 14 January 1999]: As the Chancellor made clear in his statement on the pre-Budget report, on 3 November 1998, Official Report, columns 681-792, the Government will introduce a 10p starting rate of income tax when it is economically right to do so.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the yield from levying a 10p tax on each rental of a video cassette. [66099]
20 Jan 1999 : Column: 480
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to introduce a new tax on the rental of video cassettes; [66194]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 18 January 1999]: No such estimates have been made.
Mr. Charles Kennedy:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Miller Dywidag Joint Venture is registered for the purposes of VAT. [66338]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 18 January 1999]: Under provisions of the Finance Act 1989 and the Official Secrets Act 1989, we are prohibited from disclosing personal information from the VAT register without the permission of the taxpayer unless it can be demonstrated that it is in the public interest to do so. If the hon. Member would like to provide details of the reasons for his question, I shall consider whether there are grounds for disclosing this information to him.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to apply VAT charged on garage labour for insurance repairs to insurance work carried out in garages which are owned by insurance companies; and if he will make a statement. [66385]
Dawn Primarolo:
Customs are reviewing the VAT treatment of vehicle repairs carried out by motor insurers.
Mr. McAllion:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the beneficial taxation concessions granted to the Joint Industry Board for Electrical Contracting Industry by the Inland Revenue and referred to in their explanatory notes and rules (May 1969). [66147]
Dawn Primarolo:
I cannot comment on arrangements that the Joint Industry Board for Electrical Contracting Industry may have entered into with the Inland Revenue. They are confidential and a matter between the Board and the Inland Revenue.
(2) what estimates he has made of the annual contribution to public funds of a tax on rented video cassettes of (a) 5p, (b) 10p, (c) 15p and (d) 20p. [66195]
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what rules or guidance his Department has to govern the (a) formal and (b) informal interaction between his civil servants and commercial lobbyists. [66209]
Mr. Hoon:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply the Prime Minister gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 27 July 1998, Official Report, column 4.
20 Jan 1999 : Column: 481
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reason the age of 40 years was decided upon as the minimum age for current legal advisers in magistrates courts to be exempt from the requirements of the Justices' Clerks (Qualification of Assistants) (Amendment) Rules 1998; and if he will similarly exempt all postholders, irrespective of age. [66120]
Mr. Hoon:
The decision to exempt those people who are aged 40 or older strikes the right balance between the important aim of a fully professionally qualified service and the practical difficulties faced by some individuals. Considerable thought was given to the question of whether all existing court clerks should be exempted, but it was decided that this was not a reasonable option. Some of these clerks are in their early to mid-20s and can be expected to work until they are in their mid-50s. It was felt that such a long term timescale before all clerks were professionally qualified did not match the timescale for modernising the magistrates courts to meet the challenges emerging now and in the future.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that all reasonable steps are being taken by the security service to ensure that, when processing personal data for the purpose of assisting the police, the data are processed in a way compatible with section 29 of the Data Protection Act 1998. [65980]
Mr. Straw: The Director of the Security Service is under a statutory duty to ensure that no information is obtained by the Service except so far as necessary for the proper discharge of its functions, including supporting the activities of police forces and other law enforcement agencies in the prevention and detection of serious crime. We have already announced that, in line with existing policy, all personal data held by the Security Service is subject to exemption under section 28 of the 1998 Act. We do not envisage any circumstances in which it would be necessary to rely upon the exemption provisions in section 29.
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest six monthly report on terrorist threats to EU member states discussed at the Home Affairs Council on 3 and 4 December; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [66143]
Mr. Straw: No. Article 4 of the relevant Council decision provides that
20 Jan 1999 : Column: 482
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed role of Europol in the establishment of Economic and Monetary Union, pursuant to the ECOFIN meeting of 19 May. [66140]
Kate Hoey: The ECONFIN Council meeting on 19 May 1998 concluded that a database and information system for the storage and exchange of law enforcement data on counterfeiting the Euro might need to be established. We take the view that Europol should be responsible for any such database. The issue remains under discussion with our European partners.
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the nature of United Kingdom participation in Europol's work programme for 1999, as established at the Home Affairs Councils of 3 and 4 December. [66138]
Kate Hoey: In 1999, the United Kingdom will contribute fully to all aspects of Europol's work in accordance with the Europol Convention. The United Kingdom will also continue to take a full part in monitoring, managing and developing the organisation through the Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Europol Management Board and other relevant bodies.
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