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Capital Allowance
Mr. O'Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of (a) increasing the existing 40 per cent. first year capital allowance to 100 per cent. on a permanent basis and (b) the additional cost of extending these allowances to assets leased by SMEs. [R] [80495]
Dawn Primarolo: If the extension by one year of 40 per cent. first year allowances for SMEs announced in the Budget were made permanent and increased to 100 per cent., the additional Exchequer cost would be £0.75 billion in 2000-01 and £1.3 billion in 2001-02. From 2002-03, annual costs would decrease steadily to reach £0.5 billion a year.
The cost of extending these allowances to include assets leased by SMEs is not available.
Additional Personal Tax Allowance
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many (a) men and (b) women are currently entitled to the additional personal tax allowance; and how many of those men and women are (i) parents and (ii) carers; [80935]
- (2) what is the current take-up rate of the additional personal tax allowance; and what estimate he has made of the additional cost should full take-up occur. [80936]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 16 April 1999]: I regret that no information is available on either the total number of people eligible to claim the additional personal allowance or on the proportion who are carers. Therefore no estimates can be made of the take-up rates or of the additional cost should full take-up occur.
Vehicle Excise Duty
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of UK vehicle excise duty rates on the competitiveness of the UK haulage industry, with particular reference to the rates of duty for (a) 40 and (b) 41 tonne articulated lorries. [81359]
Mr. Milburn: In formulating vehicle taxation policy the Government give careful consideration to its overall effects on the UK road haulage industry.
Correspondence
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for North Essex of 6 March concerning the road haulage industry and the Budget. [81361]
Fixed Profit Car Scheme
Mr. Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the fixed profit car scheme in respect of the relationship between engine size and mileage rates. [81269]
Payroll Software
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which software house will be preparing the new Government-supported standard payroll software for small employers and at what cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) the user. [80815]
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Mr. Wills:
I have been asked to reply.
There are a number of options available for delivering the Automated Payroll System (APS) which we are currently considering. No decisions have yet been made.
Macpherson Inquiry
Mr. Efford: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the Macpherson Inquiry recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [80529]
Mr. Hoon: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 14 April 1999, Official Report, columns 239-40.
Multi-disciplinary Partnerships
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to permit the development of multi-disciplinary partnerships in the legal profession; and if he will make a statement. [R] [81094]
Mr. Hoon: This is a matter for the legal professional bodies. The rules of the Bar Council and the Law Society prohibit such arrangements. The Bar Council has no current plans for change. The Law Society issued a consultation paper in October 1998 on the possibility of allowing solicitors to enter multi-disciplinary partnerships; the responses are currently being analysed. Under the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, it could fall to the Lord Chancellor and the designated judges to approve any proposed changes to those rules, if such changes came into the scope of Schedule 4 of that Act.
Complaints Procedures
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the complaints procedures applying (a) to solicitors and (b) to barristers; and if he will make a statement. [R] [81095]
Mr. Hoon:
Government plans for the handling of complaints about members of the legal professional bodies were announced during the Second Reading of the Access to Justice Bill on 14 April 1999, Official Report, columns 230-325. There is currently a good deal of public concern that the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors is failing to deal adequately with complaints. The Government share this concern. We therefore propose to establish a new post with the responsibility for setting targets for complaints handling and making recommendations about complaints systems. These powers would, however, be held in reserve unless and until the professions are seen not to be making real progress; that progress will be measured against targets which the bodies would be encouraged to set. The new powers would cover all the authorised bodies including the Law Society, the Bar Council and the Institute of Legal Executives.
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Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to permit barristers to practise in (a) partnerships and (b) limited liability companies; and if he will make a statement. [81096]
Mr. Hoon:
This is a matter for the General Council of the Bar. Practising barristers are currently prohibited by their professional rules from entering into partnerships. Under the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, it could fall to the Lord Chancellor and the designated judges to approve any proposed changes to those rules, if such changes came into the scope of Schedule 4 of that Act.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received from (a) Gloucestershire County Council and (b) other parties opposing the proposed closure of Stow-on-the-Wold Magistrates Court; when he expects to make a final decision on the future of that court; and if he will make a statement. [81259]
Mr. Hoon:
Gloucestershire Magistrates Courts Committee has determined to close the Stow-on-the-Wold Magistrates Court with effect from 1 July 1999. Gloucestershire County Council has appealed against this determination. A total of 21 other representation, opposed to the proposed closure, have been received.
The appeal process is proceeding. The two parties are being given the opportunity to put their case forward and make comments. This will continue until both parties are satisfied that they have nothing further to add. A final decision will not be made until that time. Magistrates courts are locally managed by magistrates' courts committee under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. Decisions concerning the future of magistrates courts in their area are for the relevant magistrates courts committee to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997.
Primary Care Groups
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many primary care groups are operative in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [80837]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: On 1 April, 22 Local Health Groups became operational as sub committees of their health authorities. They are expected to make a major contribution in three main areas:
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 430
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what (a) guidance and (b) new money he has given to primary care groups. [80836]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
Welsh Office guidance on establishing Local Health Groups was issued in October, followed by guidance on Remuneration and Human Resource, issued in December 1998.
£8.9 million previously used for the GP Fundholder Management allowance will be allocated to health authorities this year to cover the start up and operating costs of LHGs.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
the development of health improvement programmes
developing the principles of clinical governance to improve the quality of primary health care; and
Local Health Groups are coterminous with unitary authorities, with representatives of the local authorities on their boards; which will allow for more effective use of resources across the range of health and social services expenditure.
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