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British Council
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of her Department's contracts has the British Council applied for since 1 May 1997; and in each case who was successful in securing the contract. [105734]
Mr. Foulkes: The exact number of our Department's contracts for which the British Council have bid is not readily available and could only be secured at disproportionate cost. Since 1 May 1997 the British Council have been awarded 28 contracts after a competition with other bidders.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her policy towards the British Council. [105739]
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Mr. Foulkes:
The British Council is a key provider of services to the UK's effort to eliminate poverty and promote sustainable development. Our Department recognises its many strengths and breadth of experience and, as with other major suppliers, works through its commercial relationship with the Council to secure value for money.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date the responsibility for the British Council reverted to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. [105733]
Mr. Foulkes:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) assumed full responsibility for the British Council from the start of the financial year 1998-99. From this point, the resources previously set aside in the Department for International Development's (DFID) budget for the Council's Grant-in-aid (£30 million in 1989-99) were transferred to FCO.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many contracts her Department has awarded to the British Council since 1 May 1997. [105735]
Mr. Foulkes:
Since 1 May 1997 our Department has awarded 131 contracts to the British Council.
Childcare Tax Credits
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures the Government are taking to encourage the take-up of childcare tax credits by low income families in work. [103674]
Dawn Primarolo: The childcare tax credit can be received only as part of an award of the Working Families or Disabled Persons Tax Credits.
A public information campaign to raise awareness of the new tax credits was launched on 7 September using television and press advertising, leaflets, factsheets and posters in post offices, tax and Benefits Agency offices and in Jobcentres. Also, over 21,000 adviser organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureaux, disability groups and local authorities have been provided with their own free supply of information literature.
In addition, 9,000 community based groups were invited to nine regional roadshows in the UK, or two national roadshows in Scotland and Wales, each attended by a Minister and policy experts providing more information on WFTC and DPTC.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 1 December on behalf of his constituent, Mrs. White, forwarded to him by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. [105926]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
I replied on 13 January.
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Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if real terms increases in spending on the NHS that result from real terms increases in revenues from tobacco will be in addition to the planned increases in real terms spending on the NHS that were announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [105465]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
Yes, within the total of managed expenditure determined by the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if spending on the NHS during the period of the second Comprehensive Spending Review, excluding any increases in spending that result from real terms increases in revenues from tobacco, will not be reduced in real terms. [105466]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
The Government are committed to real terms increases in spending on the National Health Service.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what real terms increases in spending on public transport and the road network that result from real terms increases in revenues from fuel duties will be in addition to the planned increases in spending on transport announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [105467]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
The Pre-Budget Report stated that decisions on road fuel duties will be on a Budget-by-Budget basis and that if there are any real terms rises in road fuel duties, the revenues will go straight into a ring-fenced fund for the modernisation of roads and public transport. I cannot pre-judge my right hon. Friend's Budget decisions.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if spending on public transport and the road network during the period of the second Comprehensive Spending Review will be reduced in real terms excluding increases in spending that result from real terms increases in revenues from fuel duties. [105468]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
No decision has been taken on the level of spending on transport over the next expenditure planning period. Allocations to 2003-04 will be announced in July 2000. Further improvement of the UK's transport system will be an important consideration for the Spending Review.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what role his Department played in the 1998 decision to appoint DTI inspectors to investigate Hollis Industries plc; [105833]
Mr. Timms:
None.
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Dr. Cable:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to ensure that no low-income and elderly pensioners are sent inappropriate self-assessment forms by the Inland Revenue in April. [105495]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
In July last year, the Paymaster General announced a change to the Self Assessment system designed to take around 200,000 pensioners--up to a quarter of those sent tax returns--out of Self Assessment. The Inland Revenue continue to monitor the Self Assessment system and are committed to keeping under review the criteria for issuing tax returns.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to recover money paid by the Exchequer to pension funds of companies connected with the late Robert Maxwell; and what assessment he has made of whether the assets of those companies have been utilised so as to yield the maximum return to those pension funds and other creditors. [104672]
Mr. Rooker:
The Department regularly reviews the ability of the Maxwell pension scheme trustees to repay the £2.5 million emergency funding made available in 1992. Emergency funding is only repayable once the position of all members of the pension scheme concerned has been secured and other scheme liabilities met. To date £223,660 has been repaid. We would expect further substantial repayments of emergency funding to be made in the course of the current calendar year. The realisation of assets in Maxwell companies that have gone into liquidation is a matter for the insolvency practitioners concerned.
Ms Kelly:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of extending maternity pay from 18 weeks to (a) 26 weeks, (b) 39 weeks and (c) 52 weeks. [104866]
(2) what role his Department has played in discussions with the DTI on the cost of the current investigation into Mirror Group Newspapers plc. [105834]
| Option | Cost Increase |
|---|---|
| Extending statutory maternity pay to 26 weeks | 140 |
| Extending statutory maternity pay to 39 weeks | 370 |
| Extending statutory maternity pay to 52 weeks | 590 |
Note:
These estimates are the overall costs based on the Government Actuary's Department projection of the average number of people on SMP during 2000-01 at any one time of 100,000, assume 100 per cent. take-up and the payment of £59.55 a week.
Carers Allowances
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people aged between 55 and 65 years acting as carers for relatives under the age of 50 years
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received (a) invalid care allowance and (b) carers premium in (i) 1998, (ii) 1988 and 9 (iii) 1978; and what is the projected figure for 2008. [105177]
Mr. Bayley:
The information is not available.
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