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EU Finance Ministers
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if the withholding tax was discussed at the meeting of EU Finance Ministers on 13 and 14 October; what views Her Majesty's Government expressed thereon; when the withholding tax will next be discussed by EU Finance Ministers; and what support there has been for his proposal to exempt the eurobond market from the tax; [96503]
- (2) what matters were discussed at the meeting of EU Finance Ministers on 13 and 14 October; if he will make a statement thereon; when tax matters will next be discussed by EU Finance Ministers; and if he will list the tax matters concerned. [96477]
Dawn Primarolo: There was no meeting of EU Finance Ministers on 13 and 14 October.
Demography
Mr. Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the numbers of people of working age as a percentage of those over the state retirement age for each of the last 20 years. [96764]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
| Thousand | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Size band 1-10 | 4,528 | 20 |
| Size band 11-49 | 5,787 | 26 |
| Size band 50-99 | 2,695 | 12 |
| Size band 100 and over | 9,523 | 42 |
(41) Figures exclude Agriculture as the way that information is supplied would distort the size band analysis
Business Taxation
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the work of the EU Working Group on the Code of Conduct for Business Taxation since July; and if he will list the measures currently under consideration to tackle harmful tax competition. [96506]
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 168
Dawn Primarolo:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 13 July 1999, Official Report, column 182.
Mr. Caplin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the five-yearly review of the Valuation Office Agency will commence. [97132]
Dawn Primarolo:
The review of the Agency status of the Valuation Office will commence on 2 November 1999. The performance of the Valuation Office will be evaluated and its activities will be subjected to the normal prior option tests set out in the 1993 "Next Steps Review" (Cm 2430). The review will also take account of the recommendations made by the Treasury Sub-Committee in their report published on 28 October 1999.
The review team would welcome comments and contributions from those with an interest in the Valuation Office and its work. People should send their review by 31 January 2000 to:
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he has taken to ensure that Italy meets its obligations under the VAT Directive requiring each EU member state to refund VAT to businesses in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement. [96702]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 1 November 1999]: It is for the European Commission to ensure that member states meet their obligations under EU Directives. However, the UK Permanent Representation to the EU has made representations to the Commission on behalf of five UK businesses about delays in obtaining refunds from Italy. The Embassy in Rome has also made inquiries of the Italian authorities on behalf of UK businesses.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for each member state of the EU (a) net and gross contributions to the EU Budget for the last year for which figures are available, including net receipts and (b) the break down of net and gross contributions by household and population. [97091]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
1997 is the latest year for which information about member states' contributions and receipts is available. The information requested, in respect of that year, is set out in the table. The amounts shown are in European Currency Units, the unit of account for the EC Budget.
Suzanne Hardy
Valuation Office Review
Inland Revenue
Room 108 New Wing
Somerset House
Strand
London WC2R 1LB
Fax: 0207 438 7134
E-Mail voareview@ir.gsi.gov.uk
(42) Denotes net recipient
Notes:
1. The Court of Auditors uses ecu figures, the unit of account for the EC Budget.
2. Gross contribution figures are after account has been taken of the UK's abatement (including corrections in respect of earlier years) and for adjustments to VAT and GNP-based contributions in respect of earlier years.
3. Receipts figures include European Commission payments made direct to the member state's private sector.
4. The Court of Auditors Report does not allocate all Community spending to the member states so that the receipts figures in the table may not represent the full amount of expenditure by the Commission in each member state. Consequently the figures for net contributions/net benefits in the table are likely only to be indicative of the amount of member states' net positions. For example, if all administrative expenditure were allocated to the country in which it is paid, the net position of Belgium and Luxembourg would be substantially improved.
Source:
Contributions and receipts data taken from Court of Auditors Report on 1997 Community Budget. Population data, relating to 1997, taken from the European Commission's document "European Economy". Information on number of households relates to 1991, the latest available, and is taken from the Eurostat yearbook 1997.
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 169
2 Nov 1999 : Column: 169
Mr. Ian Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend the Millennium Gift Aid scheme to all donations towards street children projects in whatever country those children live. [96842]
Miss Melanie Johnson
[holding answer 1 November 1999]: The Millennium Gift Aid scheme was introduced in 1998 specifically to provide tax relief for donations to UK charities for educational and anti-poverty projects in the world's poorest countries. In April 1999, the scheme was extended to help refugees from Kosovo, but the Government has no plans to extend the scheme further. Some of the street children will be in countries eligible for MGA relief. UK charities working in other countries can benefit from other tax reliefs available for charitable giving, such as the Gift Aid scheme.
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