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TREASURY
Working Families Tax Credit
Ms Harman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what effect there will be on their eligibility for childcare tax credit if a parent of (a) one child and (b) two children who is in receipt of childcare tax credit takes unpaid parental leave under the Employment Relations Bill; [83343]
- (2) if he will estimate the effect on the income of (a) an employee whose spouse and (b) a lone parent who takes unpaid parental leave under the Employment Relations Bill and whose working families tax credit is in payment and has three months to run; [83345]
(3) if he will estimate the effect on the income (a) on average and (b) by quartiles of a family in receipt of working families tax credit of the main earner taking unpaid parental leave under the Employment Relations Bill; [83341]
(4) what the effect will be on the income of an employee receiving working families tax credit if his or her partner takes unpaid parental leave under the Employment Relations Bill; [83340]
(5) if he will make a statement on the eligibility for the working families tax credit of an employed person who takes unpaid parental leave under the Employment Relations Bill while her employed spouse is the direct recipient of the working families tax credit. [83344]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 5 May 1999]: WFTC will be awarded for a 26-week period. Each award is based on a "snapshot" of income immediately preceding the application. Once the award starts it is not affecting by changes to income during the 26-week period. That means that if a parent decides to take unpaid parental leave during that 26-week period the amount of WFTC awarded, including any child-care tax credit, will not change.
Ms Harman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many of those who did not receive family credit but will receive working families tax credit are dual-earner couples. [83342]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 5 May 1999]: It is estimated that in 2000-01, the first full year of the Working Families Tax Credit, about 175,000 dual-earner couples who would not have been in receipt of Family Credit will receive Working Families Tax Credit.
Fuel Duty Escalator
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral statement by the Economic Secretary of 27 April 1999, Official Report, columns 241-46, if he will set out the basis on which the cost of exempting commercial vehicles from the fuel duty escalator was calculated; and what definition of commercial vehicles was used. [83103]
10 May 1999 : Column: 59
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 5 May 1999]: Slightly under 50 per cent. of diesel is used in goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and this is the definition on which the figures are based. The amount of diesel used by these vehicles was calculated using total distances travelled by such vehicles in 1997 and the average miles per gallon achieved by rigid and articulated vehicles. However, the definition could go much wider to include all diesel vehicles used by businesses.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning the introduction of a tax on currency speculation. [83080]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 6 May 1999]: The Treasury has received a number of representations from members of the public and two letters from hon. Members about the proposal to introduce a tax on currency speculation.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons only fee-based financial advisers are permitted to describe themselves as independent. [83553]
Ms Hewitt:
Financial advisers are permitted to describe themselves as independent so long as they offer products from any provider. Their independence or otherwise is determined by the polarisation rules, not by their reward structure.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors underlie the Financial Services Authority's decision not to publish league tables on the costs and charges of mortgage products. [83555]
Ms Hewitt:
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has no powers to use its resources to collect information about products and activities it does not regulate. FSA is, however, working closely with the Council of Mortgage Lenders on how key mortgage information can be most effectively presented to customers.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to extend the protection afforded under the Financial Services Act 1986 to homebuyers. [83554]
Ms Hewitt:
There are no plans to extend the present Financial Services Act to cover mortgages. The Financial Services and Markets Bill provides for mortgages to be brought within its scope and the scope of the powers of the Financial Services Authority. A decision will be made later this year on whether the scope of the Bill should include all mortgage selling.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 24 March on behalf of his constituent Miss Marvin. [83750]
10 May 1999 : Column: 60
Mr. Gordon Brown:
I replied to the right hon. Member on 7 May.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 16 February on behalf of his constituent Mr. Gascoynes. [83756]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
I replied to the right hon. Member on 7 May.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the tax yield to the UK Exchequer of ending the duty-free concession at airports, and on aircraft, on (a) flights to Europe and (b) all flights assuming that with international agreement similar action was taken by other countries. [83352]
Dawn Primarolo:
It is not possible to predict with any degree of certainty the additional revenue which will result from the abolition of duty-free sales (a) within Europe and (b) internationally. Estimates are sensitive to a whole range of assumptions about the nature of the successor regime and the post-abolition marketing strategies of the duty-free operators.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if interest can be the first tranche of income to be set against personal allowances for the purpose of assessing income tax liability, once the 20 pence rate comes into effect. [83372]
Dawn Primarolo:
Savings income, including interest, is favourably taxed. Setting interest income against personal allowances ahead of other income would increase taxes by approximately £110 million and increase the tax bill of millions of people. We do not find such a change attractive.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions exist to ensure that each area has a choice of male and female GPs. [73548]
Mr. Denham:
We have made possible new ways of working that are more sensitive to doctors personal and family circumstances and we have also improved the general practitioner retainer scheme, which allows a doctor to maintain skills during a career break and so return to general practice more easily. These family friendly policies will ensure that general practice remains an attractive option for female doctors, so that patients have the widest possible choice.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of Sate for Health by what date he plans to complete the process of appointing primary care group boards. [74709]
10 May 1999 : Column: 61
Mr. Denham:
[holding answer 4 March 1999]: Health authorities are charged with the responsibility to establish Primary Care Groups as committees of their authorities. This process has now been substantially completed.
Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the remit of the Medicines Control Agency is, with particular reference to areas of activity other than the licensing of medicines. [80220]
Ms Jowell:
The Medicines Control Agency's primary objective is to safeguard public health by ensuring that all medicines on the United Kingdom market meet the appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy. As well as achieving this through a system of licensing before the marketing of medicines, the agency is also responsible for the monitoring of medicines and acting on safety concerns after the medicines have been placed on the market. The agency checks and monitors the standards of pharmaceutical manufacture and wholesaling, represents UK pharmaceutical regulatory interests internationally, and manages the British Pharmacopoeia Commission in setting quality standards for drug substances. It is also responsible for medicines control policy and enforcement of these requirements.
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