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TREASURY
Smuggling (Tobacco and Alcohol)
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of confiscated smuggled or bootlegged (a) tobacco and its products and (b) alcohol in each year since 1994. [70017]
Dawn Primarolo: I regret that figures on the value of confiscated smuggled tobacco and alcohol products are not available.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals who were caught smuggling alcohol and tobacco (a) were given a final warning, (b) received a caution, (c) received a conviction and fine and (d) were imprisoned in each of the last three years. [70817]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 16 February 1999]: I regret that central records are not kept in this format.
Fines (Income)
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the agreed Treasury criteria for income from certain fines to be used to meet some of the costs of those engaged in the enforcement and prosecution of offenders. [70231]
Mr. Milburn
[holding answer 9 February 1999]: The Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (Command 3978) announced that Departments would keep more of their receipts, including from fines, where this would further the Government's economic objectives, improve efficiency and not prejudice spending plans and priorities. Further details on the criteria are set out in a technical Treasury paper (PES(98)7(Revise)) which was circulated to
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Departments on 31 July 1998. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. [70771]
Ms Hewitt:
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 15 February 1999, Official Report, columns 569-70.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the United Kingdom companies currently under investigation by Customs and Excise for alleged breaches of (a) United Kingdom, (b) European Union and (c) mandatory UN arms embargoes. [71049]
Dawn Primarolo:
It is not the normal practice of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise to comment publicly about the existence or nature of any current investigations.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many United Kingdom companies have been found guilty of breaching (a) United Kingdom and (b) mandatory UN arms embargoes in the periods (i) January 1996 to January 1997, (ii) January 1997 to January 1998 and (iii) January 1998 to January 1999. [71051]
Dawn Primarolo:
No United Kingdom companies were found guilty of breaching United Kingdom or mandatory UN arms embargoes during the periods in question. Three individuals have been found guilty in connection with the activities of UK companies, two in 1996 in relation to a destination subject to a United Kingdom arms embargo and one in 1998 in relation to a destination subject to a European Union arms embargo.
Mr. Benton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the contribution which the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative will make towards the achievement of the OECD target of halving world poverty by 2015. [71308]
Ms Hewitt:
Debt relief is one of the means by which the Chancellor hopes to meet the OECD target of halving world poverty by 2015. Data on the exact contribution which the HIPC initiative will make towards achieving the target are not currently available.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 16 December 1998, Official Report, column 568, if he will list the expenditure not included in his answer incurred (a) by task forces and review bodies, (b) by focus groups, (c) on market research
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and (d) for publications and publicity; and if he will list the bodies which incurred the expenditure. [71015]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: There was no expenditure for the categories required which was not included in the earlier answer.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 16 December 1998, Official Report, column 568, if he will list the expenditure not included in his answer incurred by (a) his agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) the Central Office of Information for relevant work carried out for his Department. [71014]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: There was no expenditure relating to work carried our for HM Treasury by the bodies listed for the categories required which was not included in the earlier answer.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people affected by the extension of insurance premium tax to travel insurance announced in the 1998 Budget. [70690]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: None. Insurance Premium Tax has always applied to travel insurance.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to announce changes in the Vehicle Excise Duty system for cars; and if he will make a statement. [71079]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: A consultation paper setting out the options for reforming vehicle excise duty was published on 3 November 1998. The formal consultation ended on 31 January 1999 and all responses are now being considered. An announcement will be made in due course.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many substantive responses he has received to the Vehicle Excise Duty consultation paper. [71080]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: The total number of responses received to 5 February is over 2,200.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) businesses and (b) individuals are affected by the abolition of the foreign earnings deduction announced in the 1998 Budget; and in each case, if he will estimate the average annual cost. [70654]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: There is no information available on the number of businesses that employ people who were affected by the abolition of the foreign earnings deduction.
All UK taxpayers are affected by the abolition of the foreign earnings deduction. The closing of this loophole means that ordinary taxpayers no longer have to make
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good the shortfall created by a minority of UK residents being able to escape tax on their income. The estimated number of employees who have lost the advantage they previously enjoyed as a result of the foreign earnings deduction is about 20,000. All those affected are simply put on an equal footing with other UK residents.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many purchases of (a) private dwellings and (b) business premises in excess of £250,000 were made in 1998. [70691]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: It is provisionally estimated that there were about 40,000 residential transactions and about 20,000 commercial and land transactions in excess of £250,000 in 1998, out of a total of 1.5 million property transactions.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of (a) personal pension plans and (b) occupational pension schemes which will be affected by the abolition of ACT credits. [70684]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: Most pension providers receive dividends from UK companies. To remove a distortion, which encouraged payment of dividends rather than retention of profits for investment, payable tax credits on those dividends were abolished in July 1997.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people who (a) were originally mis-sold personal pensions and (b) had reached a satisfactory settlement in respect of their pension entitlement (i) by 1 May 1997 and (ii) at the latest available date. [71557]
Ms Hewitt:
The number of people mis-sold personal pensions will not be known until the review is completed. The priority review identified a population of approximately 685,000. At 1 May 1997, the regulators' published figures showed about 15 per cent. of these case reviews had been completed. The latest figures for 30 November 1998 showed 91 per cent. of priority reviews completed.
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