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TREASURY
Motorists (Taxation)
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was collected in taxation in respect of (a) private motorists and (b) commercial vehicles in the most recent year for which figures are available. [86673]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 11 June 1999]: The breakdown of taxation into private motorists and commercial vehicles is not possible.
The estimated amount of tax collected in respect of cars, light vans and motorcycles for 1997-98 was £30 billion, and that for other vehicles was £5 billion.
These figures include all excise duties, VAT, Insurance Premium Tax, Vehicle Excise Duty, and Inland Revenue taxes (including National Insurance Contributions).
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on the extent of pension mortgage mis-selling; [86936]
Ms Hewitt:
The Treasury does not compile statistics on housing finance. However, the Council of Mortgage Lenders' quarterly economics journal No 42 of May 1999 includes the following information on the percentage number of loans granted in 1998 by repayment method type of advance.
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(2) what assessment he has made of the number of people in Britain who have (a) endowment mortgages, (b) pension mortgages, (c) ISA mortgages and (d) interest- only mortgages without any repayment vehicle; and if he will make a statement. [86937]
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| Repayment | 43 |
| Interest only | 56 |
| of which | |
| Endowment | 34 |
| PEP | 3 |
| Pension | 1 |
| Other | 19 |
| Other | 1 |
FSA has reported no systematic evidence of mis-selling of pension mortgages.
Vocational Training Relief
Dr. Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations took place with the UK training industry prior to the decision to remove Vocational Training Relief from April 2000. [86284]
Mr. Milburn: Vocational Training Relief will be abolished in 2000. The incentives announced for Individual Learning Accounts will provide a better means of targeting support from public funds, so that in future more help will go to those who have the greatest need to improve their skills and qualifications.
The Department for Education and Employment has been discussing the details of Individual Learning Accounts with interested parties, including training providers for many months.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the suitability of individual learning accounts as a replacement for Vocational Training Relief. [86285]
Mr. Milburn:
Individual Learning Accounts will promote lifelong learning and encourage individuals to take responsibility for their own training and development. The incentives announced for Individual Learning Accounts provide a better means of targeting support from public funds than Vocational Training Relief. In future more help will go to those who have the greatest need to improve their skills and qualifications, rather than subsidising expensive activities which, though they may be vocational for a few, are for the most part undertaken as hobbies.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made on the repayment by the Italian Government of the tassa per L'Europa; and what assessment he has made of the legality of the tax within the Maastricht framework. [86727]
Ms Hewitt:
EUROSTAT decided that the tassa per L'Europa was a new tax and, as such, it was recorded as a receipt reducing the deficit. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has made no representations on the partial repayment of this tax.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps the Inland Revenue will take to inform recruitment consultancies and clients of personnel services companies if they default on commitments in relation to tax and national insurance; [86462]
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(3) if non-certified agencies supplying personnel services will be required by the Inland Revenue to install new software for assessment purposes. [86464]
Dawn Primarolo:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 June 1999, Official Report, columns 286-87.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will (a) make a statement on the publication on the website of the Association of Accountancy and Business Affairs of the Sandstorm report by Price Waterhouse on BCCI and (b) place a copy of the report in the Library. [86322]
Mr. Pollard:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff, by post and grade, of HM Customs and Excise have been made redundant in Northern Ireland in 1999. [86709]
Dawn Primarolo:
No members of HM Customs and Excise in Northern Ireland have been made redundant in 1999.
Mr. Pollard:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who is responsible for preventing the smuggling of petroleum products into Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [86715]
Ms Hewitt:
HM Customs and Excise are responsible for preventing the smuggling of petroleum products into Northern Ireland.
Both the Government and Customs are aware of this problem and recognise that it is serious in revenue terms and, just as importantly, disadvantages legitimate traders. Customs are deploying resources and actively mounting investigations against those involved to counter the threat posed to the revenue and to the Northern Ireland business community.
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt Northern Ireland from the climate change levy or energy tax until such time as electricity costs are comparable to average electricity costs in Great Britain. [85896]
Ms Hewitt:
The Government are aware of the nature of, and the prices prevailing in the energy market in Northern Ireland. These issues were considered, alongside a number of other factors, in determining the scope and design of the climate change levy.
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The introduction of the climate change levy will entail no increase in overall burden of tax on business as a whole, as the revenues from the levy will be fully recycled to business via a 0.5 per cent. reduction in the main rate of employers' National Insurance Contributions. Business will also benefit from an additional £50 million for schemes aimed at promoting energy efficiency and support for renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power.
Mr. Colman:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under the landfill tax credit scheme, which landfill operators have contributed to environmental bodies; and if he will list those environmental bodies, including contact details, which have received support from landfill operators. [86148]
Ms Hewitt:
Information obtained by Customs and Excise from landfill operators about contributions made to environmental bodies under the landfill tax credit scheme is confidential. I regret, therefore, that I cannot disclose such information.
The information requested about which environmental bodies have received contributions is best provided by the Regulator for the environmental bodies credit scheme, ENTRUST Ltd. I have asked ENTRUST to write to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusions he reached about the quality of information supplied with regard to women who continued to pay reduced National Insurance contributions after 1977 about national insurance entitlements; and what plans he has to assist those affected. [86195]
Dawn Primarolo:
There have been two major publicity campaigns about the married women's option; one in the late 1970s and another in the late 1980s. Leaflets CA09 and CA13 were made available at the time from the Benefits Agency locally. I am currently considering whether a further information campaign is necessary.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans Her Majesty's Government have to issue a coin to commemorate the forthcoming 150 anniversary of the Public Libraries Act of 1850. [87113]
Mr. Gordon Brown:
Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that next year a special design should be adopted for the reverse of the fifty pence in order to mark the 150th anniversary of the Public Libraries Act, 1850. Collector versions of the coin will be available from the beginning of the year and the coin will also be available, later in the year, at face value from banks and post offices.
(2) what procedures the Inland Revenue and Contributions Agency will follow when a certified personnel service company enters voluntary liquidation or arranges an S.852 dissolution, with particular reference to the informing of agencies and other potential clients; [86463]
(Northern Ireland)
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