| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Climate Change Levy
Mr. Caplin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how fuel used in chemical reactions will be treated under the climate change levy. [93817]
Ms Hewitt: As indicated in the consultation document published by Customs and Excise on Budget day, coal and gas used in chemical reactions will not be subject to the levy. Officials at Customs are having useful discussions with industry about how to apply the exemption to fuels used both for chemical reaction and for heating, such as in the steel industry. In the light of the representations received on the treatment of electrolysis, we propose to extend this to electricity. We propose that electricity used for electrolysis, either for the production of chloralkalis or the primary smelting of aluminium, will be exempt from the levy to the extent that it is used in chemical reactions. Again, Customs will discuss precisely how this will work with the industries involved with a view to the revised treatment being included in the draft clauses to be published in the autumn.
Mr. Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in relation to the potential of the proposed climate change levy on certain fuels to increase carbon dioxide emissions. [92152]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 20 July 1999]: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a number of representations in the course of the consultation on the climate change levy. These will be considered very carefully in determining the final design of the levy.
27 Jul 1999 : Column: 391
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made regarding the review of civil registration in England and Wales announced on 7 December 1998. [93818]
Ms Hewitt:
The first stage of the review is complete. A consultation paper will be published in early September which seeks the public's views on the future development of the registration service in England and Wales. A full three months will be allowed for responses.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) Construction Tax Certificates and (b) Subcontractors Tax Certificates under the new construction industry scheme have been issued; how many are awaiting processing; and how many approved applications will not be issued before 1 August. [92410]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 22 July 1999]: The Inland Revenue keep statistics of the numbers of applications received on a monthly basis for both registration cards and tax certificates. The latest figures show that 120,000 applications have been received for certificates and that 14,155 Construction Tax Certificates have been issued and 82,978 Subcontractor Tax Certificates have been issued. In addition, the Inland Revenue has issued 391,630 registration cards to those who do not qualify for a certificate.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been received for (a) Construction Tax Certificates and (b) Subcontractors Tax Certificates under the new construction industry scheme; how many have been approved; how many have been rejected; and how many are still being considered. [92409]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 22 July 1999]: The Inland Revenue only keep details of the total number of certificate applications received; they do not keep details of how many of those applications are for either a CIS6 or a CIS5. The latest figures show that 120,000 applications have been received for certificates in total. The Inland Revenue have issued 97,133 certificates in total. Around 15 per cent. of applications fail to meet the criteria so the Inland Revenue currently anticipate issuing no more than 103,000 certificates. The Inland Revenue have also issued 391,630 registration cards to those who do not qualify for a certificate.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons no telephone number is available to enable callers to check with the processing centre in Liverpool about when construction tax certificates will be issued. [92412]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 22 July 1999]: Tax offices are able to advise a subcontractor, from the computer records which are updated daily, whether their application has been authorised and, if so, whether their certificate has been issued or if their application is ready for processing. There is no need for any taxpayer to contact the processing office about their application form as the tax office will be able to give them all the available information. Subcontractors can also obtain some
27 Jul 1999 : Column: 392
information from the subcontractors helpline which has been set up to provide general information about the scheme.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many construction industry application forms for (a) construction tax certificates and (b) subcontractors tax certificates have been rejected by the Inland Revenue on the basis that part of the signature was outside the white box on page 2; and if he will make a statement. [92408]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 22 July 1999]: The Inland Revenue do not keep details of the reasons why any particular application form may be rejected. All application forms are issued with guidance notes for completion but where a subcontractor has not completed the form correctly Inland Revenue staff will try to identify this when the application form is handed in to them. If the error is not immediately identified but is discovered, the applicant will be called back as soon as possible so that they can complete another form correctly.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (1) pursuant to his answer of 29 June 1999, Official Report, columns 132-34, what were the amounts involved in each of the budget lines (a) blocked initially, (b) now unblocked and (c) still frozen; and what are the implications for the UK Government's budget and financial planning of the European Court of Justice ruling of 12 May 1998; [92729]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 23 July 1999]: The budget lines initially suspended by the Commission following the European Court of Justice ruling of 12 May 1998 were listed in my previous answer of 29 June 1999, Official Report, columns 132-34. The amounts contained on each of these lines in the 1998 adopted budget can be found in the Official Journal of the European Communities, L44, Volume 41, published on 16 February 1998, which is available in the Library of the House.
The guidelines clarifying the funding of measures through the EU budget are set out in the Inter Institutional Agreement on legal bases and implementation of the budget, on which an explanatory memorandum (10893/98) was submitted in October 1998.
The Government welcomed the European Court of Justice ruling of 12 May 1998, which supports budget discipline. The ruling related specifically to expenditure by the Commission in the EU budget, and has no other legal implications for the UK.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. [92656]
27 Jul 1999 : Column: 393
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 23 July 1999]: In accordance with the terms of the Ministerial Code, Ministers are required always to make efficient and cost- effective travel arrangements. Journeys in and around London, which account for the majority of the Chancellor's working week, will normally be made by Government car.
The Chancellor last used a train in the course of his official duties on 5 July 1999, when he travelled to Bournemouth for the TGWU conference.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent to which the statement of jobseeker's allowance paid on Form 604 enables accurate deduction of income tax for the year in question. [92310]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 22 July 1999]: Neither the Inland Revenue nor the Benefits Agency issue a Form 604 in connection with the jobseeker's allowance.
Mr. Alasdair Morgan:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many contracts of a value greater than £10,000 his Department has with companies in (a) London, (b) South East England, (c) England, (d) Scotland, (e) Wales and (f) Northern Ireland; and what is the total value of such contracts for each area. [90835]
Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 14 July 1999]: Since 1 April to date, the Treasury had or has contracts of a value of greater than £10,000 in the following areas:
(2) what legal implications for the UK arise from the European Court of Justice's judgment of 12 May 1998; and, pursuant to his answer of 29 June 1999, Official Report, columns 132-34, what were the legal bases found for each of the budget lines unblocked. [92730]
| Area | Number of contracts | Value (£) |
|---|---|---|
| London | 111 | 10,800,000 |
| South East England | 162 | 7,500,000 |
| England | 148 | 7,900,000 |
| Scotland | 2 | 49,000 |
| Wales | 2 | 311,000 |
| Northern Ireland | 0 | -- |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |