House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 3 Nov 1999 (pt 16)

Tobacco and Alcohol Smuggling

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated loss to the Treasury through smuggled tobacco and alcohol into the United Kingdom in each year since 1997. [96774]

Miss Melanie Johnson: HM Customs and Excise assess the total amount of revenue (excise duty and VAT) losses through all forms of tobacco smuggling in 1998 at about £1.7 billion. There is no comparable assessment for total revenue losses through all forms of alcohol smuggling.

The revenue lost through cross-Channel smuggling of alcohol and tobacco in 1998 is estimated at £220 million and £1 billion respectively. Comparable figures for 1997 are £180 million for alcohol and £790 million for tobacco.

Financial Services Authority

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Economic Secretary last met the Head of the Financial Services Authority; and what matters were discussed. [96957]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I meet the Chairman of the Financial Services Authority on a regular basis and discuss a wide range of issues.

Departmental Accounts

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods of depreciation his Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [97048]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Treasury will be applying straight line depreciation to relevant fixed assets for the current financial year. The Treasury's depreciation methods are in accordance with the Treasury's Resource

3 Nov 1999 : Column: 242

Accounting Manual, which is itself underpinned by the Financial Reporting Standard 15 'Tangible Fixed Assets' issued by the Accounting Standards Board.

Blood-alcohol Limit

Mr. Walter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact on Treasury revenue from excise duty, value added tax and income tax of a reduction in the blood-alcohol limit for drivers. [96903]

Mr. Timms: No such estimate is available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Imports

Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to increase the imports of (a) food and (b) wine from New Zealand and Australia; and if he will make a statement. [96620]

Ms Quin: I have been asked to reply.

The Government have no plans to increase imports of food or wine from any particular country.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Pensions

Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the percentage value of the basic state pension (a) as a percentage of average earnings and (b) in 1999 prices; and what it will be in (i) 2000, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2030 and (v) 2050 if it is increased only in line with prices, (1) assuming average earnings continue to grow at the same average rate as they have since 1979 and (2) assuming average earnings increase at 2 per cent. more per year than the retail prices index. [95633]

3 Nov 1999 : Column: 243

Mr. Rooker: The information requested is in the table.

Year Basic pension in 1999 prices (£) As a percentage of average earnings

1999 66.75 16.6

2000 66.75 16.3

2010 66.75 13.4

2020 66.75 11.0

2030 66.75 9.0

2050 66.75 6.1

Year	Basic pension in 1999 prices (£)	As a percentage of average earnings
1999	66.75	16.6
2000	66.75	16.3
2010	66.75	13.4
2020	66.75	11.0
2030	66.75	9.0
2050	66.75	6.1

Note:

Real earnings growth when rounded to the nearest 0.1 per cent. is the same for (1) and (2) at 2 per cent.

Pensioners (Overseas)

Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) the countries in which UK retirement and other pensions are increased in line with inflation for residents therein and (b) those countries where they are not. [96329]

Mr. Rooker: The information is as follows.

Countries where UK state pensions are uprated

Austria

Barbados

Belgium

Bermuda

Channel Islands

Cyprus

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Gibraltar

Greece

Iceland

Italy

Israel

Jamaica

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Malta

Mauritius

Netherlands

Norway

Philippines

Portugal

Republic of Ireland

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States of America

Yugoslavia (including former members)

3 Nov 1999 : Column: 244

Countries where UK state pensions are not uprated

Antilles (Netherlands)

Arab Emirates (United)

China Peoples Republic

Dominican Commonwealth

Falkland Islands and Dependants

3 Nov 1999 : Column: 245

Maldive Islands Mexico

Nevis St Kitts - Nevis

Republic of Kazakhstan

Republic of Latvia

Republic of Lithuania

Republic of Uzbekistan

3 Nov 1999 : Column: 246

South Korea

Sri Lanka

St Helena and Dependants

St Lucia

St Martins

St Vincent and Grenadines

The Russian Federation

Turks and Caicos Islands

Virgin Islands (British)

Zaire

Zambia

Zimbabwe.

Child Benefit

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children aged (a) 0 to five years and (b) five or more receive child benefit. [96862]

Angela Eagle: It is estimated that, at May 1999 Child Benefit was in payment in respect of 3,385,860 children aged 0 to four years and 9,431,020 children aged five or more years.

Source:

5 per cent. sample of current live Child Benefit claims.

Exceptional Hardship Payments

Ms Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent on exceptional hardship payments (housing benefit) in the years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 in (a) the London Borough of Redbridge, (b) the London Borough of Newham, (c) the London Borough of Havering, (d) the London Borough of Waltham Forest and (e) the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham; and in relation to exceptional hardship payments in the above years, what was the (i) amount of Government money provided to and (ii) permitted spending totals set for each of the above councils. [96653]

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Angela Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Allocation and expenditure on exceptional hardship payments£

Amount of central government contribution Permitted total Total expenditure

1996-97

Barking and Dagenham 41,786 -- 2,183

Havering 51,846 -- 5,593

Newham 293,611 -- 12,863

Redbridge 175,530 -- 56,611

Waltham Forest 143,934 -- 11,235

1997-98

Barking and Dagenham 51,935 -- 2,776

Havering 52,813 -- 17,712

Newham 306,062 -- 32,040

Redbridge 177,223 -- 125,258

Waltham Forest 179,371 -- 33,345

1998-99

Barking and Dagenham 55,242 137,870 14,599

Havering 57,772 144,183 27,207

Newham 372,294 929,151 37,313

Redbridge 206,547 515,490 119,965

Waltham Forest 244,093 609,193 not available

	Amount of central government contribution	Permitted total	Total expenditure
1996-97
Barking and Dagenham	41,786	--	2,183
Havering	51,846	--	5,593
Newham	293,611	--	12,863
Redbridge	175,530	--	56,611
Waltham Forest	143,934	--	11,235

1997-98
Barking and Dagenham	51,935	--	2,776
Havering	52,813	--	17,712
Newham	306,062	--	32,040
Redbridge	177,223	--	125,258
Waltham Forest	179,371	--	33,345

1998-99
Barking and Dagenham	55,242	137,870	14,599
Havering	57,772	144,183	27,207
Newham	372,294	929,151	37,313
Redbridge	206,547	515,490	119,965
Waltham Forest	244,093	609,193	not available

Notes:

1. The Permitted Totals for the years 1996-97 and 1997-98 were based on a percentage of each local authority's expenditure on rent allowance cases in year, and was not therefore a fixed amount. However, for 1998-99 the Permitted Total was a fixed amount based on 1995-96 expenditure on deregulated tenancies referred to the rent officer.

2. The expenditure figures quoted are based on information provided by the local authorities.

Source:

1996 to 1998-99 Housing Benefit Subsidy claim forms from Local Authorities and the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Circular S5/99, annex 1.

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