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Electronic Capital Equipment
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will introduce fiscal incentives to encourage recycling of electronic capital equipment; and if he will make a statement; [68630]
- (2) what fiscal incentives are available to industry to encourage recycling of electronic capital equipment. [68631]
Ms Hewitt: There are no special fiscal incentives to encourage recycling of electronic equipment. Businesses make a commercial judgment on whether or not to recycle any equipment. Where they do so the cost of recycling is treated for tax purposes in the same way as any other business cost. However, tax relief already exists for firms that give gifts of trading stock, or equipment they have used in their trade, to recognised educational establishments.
Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to implement in full the recommendations of the HM Customs and Excise Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review; and which of the recommendations have been implemented. [69554]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government have already implemented major recommendations of the review by making available resources to enable Customs to deploy additional staff to tackle the smuggling of alcohol and tobacco. Sixty-six new staff were in post at the south-east Channel Ports by the end of November 1998, and the remainder will be in post at other ports and inland by the end of February 1999, taking the total number of new staff to over 100.
Customs are currently undertaking a wide-ranging consultation exercise with the trade to establish the cost to industry of implementing the many review recommendations which involve procedural changes to tighten up on fraud. Subject to the outcome of that consultation, a final decision will be taken on how and when the measures are to implemented during 1999.
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Some of the remaining recommendations require the participation of all EU member states.
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ATFR recommendations which have been implemented are shown in the following table:
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| Rec. number | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 2 | Government to consider making available additional resources to adopt a high impact approach at the Channel ports |
| 3 | Government to consider making available additional resources inland to tackle the sale and distribution and sale of illicit excise goods |
| 4 | Government to consider making available additional resources to enable Customs Solicitors Office to progress cases arising from the deployment of additional resources |
| 40 | Government to consider making available increased Customs anti-smuggling resources to combat the risk of cigarette smuggling |
| 44 | UK to continue joint action with other member states to tackle cigarette smuggling by air |
| 45 | The participation of Customs officers in Police roadblocks |
| 46 and 47 | Customs to amend the regulations for the holding and movement of duty suspended goods |
| 48 | Customs to review its prosecution policy for excise smugglers |
| 51 | Customs should ask the courts to disqualify smugglers from driving for set periods |
| 52 | Customs should apply for curfew orders in all appropriate excise smuggling cases |
| 53 | Customs should ask the Lord Chancellor's office to advise on publishing guidance on sentencing for excise smuggling |
| 54 | Customs to seek compensation orders in addition to any other sentence imposed by courts |
| 55 | Customs to explore with the Police that targeted checks be made on hired vans and cars |
| 57 | Customs to adopt a tougher policy on seized vehicles with high restoration charges |
| 58 | Customs should continue to arrest, charge and prosecute persistent offenders where large quantities of excise goods are involved |
| 60 | Customs should seek the confiscation of assets of excise smugglers |
| 69 | Customs to take up vendor control problems with relevant fiscal authority |
| 76 | Customs should incorporate promiscuous checks on warehouses in assurance plans |
| 79 | Customs should continue blitzes of high risk traders |
| 81 | Customs should further develop a national task force approach involving closer working with other agencies |
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Quantum Project
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the conclusions of the Prison Service's review of the Quantum project. [70899]
Mr. Straw: The Prison Service's six-month review of the Quantum project announced on 10 August 1998 has been concluded. I have seen the review report. The Director General and the Executive Committee of the Prison Service endorses the recommendation made in the report to take the project forward by means of a framework agreement in partnership with one of the two short-listed suppliers. The contract will cover an Information Technology infrastructure service, joint development of a strategy for Information Technology-based business change and an agreed mechanism for implementing business change on a partnership basis.
Freedom of Information
Mr. Canavan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for legislation on freedom of information. [68642]
Mr. Straw: Freedom of information is an essential component of the Government's programme to modernise British politics, as set out in our manifesto. This programme of constitutional reform aims to involve people more closely in the decisions which affect their lives. Giving people greater access to information is fundamental to that aim.
The effect of a Freedom of Information Act will be that for the first time, every citizen in the country will have
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the right of access to information held by bodies across the public sector. I believe this will radically transform the relationship between Government and citizens.
The Government published their proposals for Freedom of Information in December 1997 in a White Paper entitled, "Your Right to Know". The Home Office took over responsibility for Freedom of Information legislation from the Cabinet Office in the Summer, to enable the policy to be developed alongside other constitutional measures, such as human rights and data protection. Since then, we have devoted a great deal of effort towards translating the White Paper's proposals into a draft Bill. That process is very nearly complete, and the Government will publish a draft Bill as soon as it is ready.
There are those who feel that the Government should have produced a Bill sooner. I must emphasise, however, that any delay is not an indication of a lack of commitment on the part of the Government. It is quite the reverse. Indeed, we have devoted additional resources to work on Freedom of Information. This is a complex subject. There have been a great number of issues to resolve; for example: the need to address existing legislation which impinges on freedom of information, including that which arises from our international legal obligations; the need to consider the implications of devolution; the practicalities of the enforcement mechanism. These are just a few of the issues which have occupied us for some time, but I am convinced that we are right to take the time to get the detail right. If we are to achieve our aims then we must have an Act that is realistic and workable.
We therefore look forward to a thorough and informed debate when we publish the draft Bill. There will be a period of public consultation, during which the Bill will receive pre-legislative scrutiny by the Select Committee for Public Administration. We hope and expect that this
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process of scrutiny will lead to a more effective Bill. Following this period of consultation, the Government are committed to introducing the Bill to Parliament as soon as the legislative programme allows.
A Freedom of Information Act will radically change the way Government conducts its business. Government alone cannot bring about the cultural change necessary in public sector bodies for a more open approach in their relationship with the public. It will be for a wide variety of public bodies to implement the legislation, and cultural change must take place in all of those bodies if the Freedom of Information Act is to succeed. During the consultation period, I will set out my proposals for delivering this cultural change.
Mr. Beith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the expenditure on his Department's crime prevention initiatives, in cash and real terms, in each of the last three years; what is the planned cash and real terms spending in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [70325]
Mr. Boateng:
Over the last three years, (1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99) £12.4 million, £16.1 million and £9.4 million will have been spent in cash terms on crime prevention initiatives. In real terms at 1998-99 prices this is £13 million, £16.5 million and £9.4 million.
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