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Tax Credits (Remote Access Terminals)
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if local authorities will be able to access information held by the Inland Revenue on each of the tax credits using remote access terminals. [113622]
Angela Eagle: Remote Access Terminals are currently used by LAs to access a range of DSS held information relating to claims for Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance which is relevant to the administration of Housing and Council Tax benefit. We are currently exploring the implications of extending the range of available information to include details relating to other benefits and tailored access to the Departmental Central Index.
We anticipate being able to start implementing these enhancements within the next financial year. There are no plans at present to extend this level to access to include Inland Revenue systems.
The Inland Revenue do not currently have Remote Access Terminals for local authorities to access tax credits information. However, they do operate several dedicated helplines to provide local authorities with information about tax credits.
Mr. Ennis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the number of people in Barnsley, East and Mexborough aged over 60 years who are not claiming benefits to which they are entitled. [112979]
Mr. Bayley:
The information is not available. It is not possible to produce reliable estimates of numbers not claiming their entitlement at constituency level.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further progress has been made on the establishment of a fund to assist those eligible under the vaccine damage payment scheme; and if he will make a statement. [113044]
Mrs. Dean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made with establishing a fund to compensate vaccine-damaged children. [113418]
Mr. Bayley:
We are examining the feasibility of setting up a fund to provide help to people who have received vaccine damage payments.
Aggregates Tax
14. Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his proposals for an aggregates tax. [112229]
9 Mar 2000 : Column: 813W
Mr. Timms:
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a number of representations from a range of organisations about the Government's proposals for an aggregates tax.
15. Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received since his pre-Budget report on the climate change levy. [112231]
16. Mr. Gill:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received regarding the proposed climate change levy; and if he will make a statement. [112232]
Mr. Timms:
The refinements to the design of the climate change levy announced in the November 1999 Pre-Budget Report will increase its environmental effectiveness, whilst protecting the competitiveness of UK firms. The changes made were widely welcomed by both business leaders and environmental groups.
17. Ms Keeble:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact tax changes since May 1997 have had on small businesses. [112233]
Mr. Timms:
The effects of the tax announcements are shown in the relevant tables of the Red Book. A number of these measures are of particular benefit to small businesses.
18. Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on employment trends since May 1997. [112234]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
Since May 1997 employment has increased by over 800,000 and there are now more people in work than ever before.
19. Mr. Fallon:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his speech on BT charging and access to the internet. [112235]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Chancellor receives numerous representations on a wide range of issues.
20. Mr. Clapham:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that his policy in respect of the United Kingdom's enterprise culture, described in his recent speech in New York, takes account of the needs of the labour force; and if he will make a statement. [112236]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Government's productivity agenda takes full account of the needs of the labour market through the New Deal funded from the Windfall Tax and through investing an extra £19 billion over three years, both to increase standards in schools and to encourage life-long learning.
9 Mar 2000 : Column: 814W
22. Mr. Michael Jabez Foster:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he has taken to increase the take-home pay of those in low-paid work. [112238]
32. Mr. Reed:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to increase the level of take-home pay for low-paid workers in the east midlands. [112250]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Government are committed to creating employment opportunities for all.
A key element of this strategy is the commitment to making work pay, and creating a fairer system for all low-paid workers. The key measures are:
23. Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has held with the telecommunications industry. [112239]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Chancellor regularly meets people from a wide range of industries.
24. Mr. Skinner:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning future spending levels in relation to his forthcoming Budget; and if he will make a statement. [112240]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
Treasury Ministers have received representations from a number of organisations in relation to the forthcoming Budget.
25. Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax will be payable in the period 1997-98 to 2001-02 as a result of his Budget measures to date. [112241]
Dawn Primarolo:
Details of the Budget measures can be found in relevant tables of the July 1997, March 1998 and March 1999 Red Book. As a result of these Budgets, the direct tax rate on an average family with children will fall below 20 per cent. for the first time since 1979, and be at its lowest level since 1972.
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Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer during which quarters since May 1997 the level of tax taken by Government have fallen as a proportion of GDP. [112228]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
As a result of the last Budget, the tax/GDP ratio is lower this year than last year. The tax ratio in the two following years will also be lower than last year. Under the last Government's plans these rates would have been higher than the latest projections, not only in this year and both of the next two years.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra tax will be paid in 2000-01 as a result of measures announced in his Budgets to date. [112226]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
All changes to the tax system are included in the relevant Budget reports, which are publicly available. As a result of these Budgets, the direct tax rate on an average family with children will fall below 20 per cent. for the first time since 1979, and be at its lowest level since 1972.
26. Mr. Alan W. Williams:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many months since the power to set interest rates was transferred to the Bank of England, Britain's inflation rate has (a) exceeded and (b) fallen below the median range of its inflation target. [112243]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Government's inflation target since May, 1997 has been 2.5 per cent. for RPIX inflation. In the 33 months since operational independence was given to the Bank, inflation has exceeded the target on 16 occasions, has fallen below on 11 occasions and been exactly on target on 6 occasions. RPIX inflation has averaged 2.5 per cent. during this period and has been in the range of 2.1 to 3.2 per cent.
The National Minimum Wage, which was introduced in April 1999 and has boosted the hourly wage of over 1.5 million low-paid workers. The adult rate will be increased from £3.60 per hour to £3.70 per hour from October 2000, while the youth rate will be increased from £3.00 per hour to £3.20 per hour from June 2000;
The 10p rate of income tax from April 1999, which has halved the marginal tax rate for 2.3 million people, of whom 1.7 million are low-paid. Those on the lowest taxable incomes have gained up to £2.88 a week, compared to £1.15 a week for basic rate taxpayers;
Reforms to National Insurance Contributions which will remove around one million low-paid people from national insurance, while protecting their benefit entitlement;
The cut in the basic rate to 22p, from April 2000;
For families with children, the Working Families Tax Credit, which guarantees a minimum income of £200 a week for a family with someone in full-time employment--£80 a week more than a couple would receive on Income Support.
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