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Blood

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of blood provision within the National Health Service. [108512]

Mr. Denham: Progressively over the last two years the blood service has become more integrated into the National Health Service, building a partnership to ensure a high standard of patient care. There has been steady recruitment of donors, an ongoing modernisation of donor services and a reliable supply of blood.

To ensure that there continues to be an adequate and safe supply of blood used effectively in first class transfusion practice, we required NHS trusts to ensure from March 1999 that hospital transfusion committees were in place to oversee all aspects of blood transfusion. We also required them to have agreed by March 2000 local transfusion protocols to ensure the safest and most effective use of blood and we will audit the outcome.

NHS Patients (Forms)

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received about NHS patients needing major surgery using forms E111 and E112 to obtain faster treatment. [108778]

Ms Stuart: Form E111 provides entitlement to immediately necessary treatment for conditions arising during a temporary visit to another European Economic Area Member state. Only a minority of emergency treatments involve major surgery. Referrals specifically for treatment of pre-existing conditions require Form E112, and each application is considered individually by the patient's health authority and by the Department. The criteria for a successful application are based on medial and social considerations. Full information is given in the Department's leaflet "Health Advice for Travellers", copies of which are available in the Library. We have received no recent representation on the subject.

NHS Expenditure

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 February 2000, Official Report, column 630W, if he will list the values of UK total gross NHS expenditure which underlie his estimates of UK total gross NHS expenditure as a percentage of GDP. [108989]

7 Feb 2000 : Column: 73W

Mr. Denham: The information requested is set out in the table.

	£ million
Yearc>United Kingdom total gross NHS expenditure in cash terms
1978-79	8,103
1979-80	9,633
1980-81	12,486
1981-82	14,041
1982-83	15,304
1983-84	16,265
1984-85	17,479
1985-86	18,496
1986-87	19,863
1987-88	21,829
1988-89	24,283
1989-90	26,208
1990-91	29,178
1991-92	33,048
1992-93	36,233
1993-94	38,227
1994-95	40,432
1995-96	42,326
1996-97	43,921
1997-98	46,240
1998-99	48,795
1999-2000	52,645
2000-01	55,744
2001-02	59,099

Note:

Figures are not directly comparable over the period due to classification changes

TREASURY

Bank of England (Profits)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what profit the Bank of England made on its (a) foreign exchange and (b) gold dealings in each of the last three years. [108447]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 4 February 2000]: The 1997-98 accounts of the Exchange Equalisation Account, the account at the Bank of England which holds the United Kingdom's foreign currency and gold reserves, published on 26 January, provides details of the return earned by the Treasury on the foreign currency reserves. This was the first time the Exchange Equalisation Account has ever been published. The accounts for 1998-99 will be published once the National Audit Office have completed their audit.

Working Families Tax Credit

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families have benefited from the working families tax credit in (a) Staffordshire, Moorlands, (b) North Staffordshire and (c) Staffordshire. [107190]

Dawn Primarolo: Reliable estimates for the number of families in receipt of the Working Families Tax Credit are not yet available on a constituency or county basis, but will be available shortly.

7 Feb 2000 : Column: 74W

Disabled Persons Tax Credit

Angela Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage take-up of the disabled persons tax credit. [107186]

Dawn Primarolo: Disabled Person's Tax Credit has been advertised through a number of different media in order to attract attention in various ways.

A national press campaign began in October, with a national radio campaign in November. Both gave a freephone number for further information.

This was supported by providing a free supply of information leaflets and posters to over 21,000 welfare organisations such as Citizen's Advice Bureaux, disability and welfare groups.

An audio tape and video were produced featuring DPTC and these were distributed free through RNIB and RNID.

Ten ministerial roadshows promoted DPTC to delegates from local welfare organisations throughout October.

Leaflets and a video about DPTC also featured in main post offices throughout October.

Tax Inquiries (Belgium)

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the backlog of information to be provided by the Inland Revenue about the affairs of named United Kingdom taxpayers requested by the Belgian tax authorities; [108375]

(2) what arrangements exist for the provision of information by the Inland Revenue about the tax affairs of United Kingdom taxpayers to the Belgian tax authorities; and under what powers this is done. [108376]

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 3 February 2000]: Inland Revenue procedures for dealing with requests for information received from other fiscal authorities are set out in the report of the National Audit Office "Exchange of Information on Direct Taxation within the European Union" of November 1997. A copy of this report is available in the Library of the House. The UK exchanges taxpayer information under the provisions of the EC Mutual Assistance Directive, as given effect under section 77, Finance Act 1978, and under the terms of the Double Taxation Agreement with Belgium, as given effect under section 788, Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

Capital Gains Tax

Mr. Burnett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals who qualified for retirement relief from capital gains tax made chargeable gains of less than £250,000 for capital gains tax purposes in tax years (a) 1992-93, (b) 1993-94, (c) 1994-95, (d) 1995-96 and (e) 1996-97. [108804]

Dawn Primarolo: The estimated number of individuals who claimed capital gains tax retirement relief of less than £250,000 for the years 1992-93 to 1996-97 is given in the table.

7 Feb 2000 : Column: 75W

YearEstimated number of retirement relief claims less than £250,000
1992-93	2,750
1993-94	4,500
1994-95	3,750
1995-96	5,750
1996-97	9,750

Foreign Earnings

Mr. Burnett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals qualified for the foreign earnings deduction for income tax purposes in tax years (a) 1992-93, (b) 1993-94, (c) 1994-95, (d) 1995-96 and (e) 1996-97. [108802]

Dawn Primarolo: This information has only been available since Self Assessment was introduced in 1996-97. About 35,000 people received a foreign earnings deduction for this year.

Company Car Drivers (Insurance)

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a duty on insurance premiums for company car drivers; and if he will make a statement. [108382]

Dawn Primarolo: There are no plans to introduce a duty on insurance premiums for company car drivers.

VAT (Church Repairs)

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legal advice he has received on the application of a derogation under the 6 VAT Directive to exempt church repairs from VAT or allow a lower rate of VAT on such repairs. [108187]

Dawn Primarolo: Derogations are normally permitted only to simplify the procedure for charging VAT or to prevent tax evasion or avoidance. It would therefore be inappropriate to seek a derogation for church repairs. EC law does not permit an exemption or a reduced rate for church repairs.

Tax Competition

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the (a) OECD report on offshore centres of tax competition and (b) code of conduct paper discussed at ECOFIN on 29 November 1999; and if he will make a statement. [108280]

Dawn Primarolo: A copy of the OECD report "Harmful Tax Competition: An Emerging Issue" has already been deposited in the House of Commons Library.

The Code of Conduct states that it is for ECOFIN to decide whether to publish the final report. The UK is pressing for the report to be published.

7 Feb 2000 : Column: 76W

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