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Aviation Fuel Tax
Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a decision on the aviation fuel tax proposed by the European Commission will be made under qualified majority voting or unanimity procedure. [117299]
Mr. Timms: The Commission proposal for a Council Directive restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products, which was made in March 1997, is subject to unanimity.
Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his assessment of the cost implications for the United Kingdom aviation industry of the aviation fuel tax proposed by the European Commission. [117300]
Mr. Timms: I have made no such assessment.
Mr. Nicholls:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's policy in respect of the European Commission's proposed aviation fuel tax; and if he will make a statement. [117298]
4 Apr 2000 : Column: 460W
Mr. Timms:
The Government have no plans to take advantage of the Commission's proposal to allow member states to opt to tax aviation fuel used on domestic flights, and on flights within the EU by bilateral agreement. The Government support the removal of the international ban on the taxation of aviation fuel and will continue to pursue this in the forum of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Mr. Sayeed:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further plans he has to introduce measures to assist small businesses. [117311]
Mr. Timms:
We are seeking to make Britain the best competitive environment for business in the world. Budget 2000 sets out a substantial package of tax and spending measures that build on existing measures to help small businesses move up the ladder of opportunity. These measures are set out in more detail in Chapter 3 "Meeting the Productivity Challenge" of the EFSR.
Mr. Sayeed:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he plans to introduce to assist the haulage industry. [117315]
Mr. Timms:
In his recent Budget Statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a package of measures that will further boost the competitiveness of the UK haulage industry: the introduction of 44 tonne lorries for general use on UK roads from a target date of 1 January 2001; £45 million of cuts to Vehicle Excise Duty, targeted particularly at those parts of the haulage industry facing competitive pressure; and tougher enforcement to tackle illegally-operating hauliers and protect the competitiveness of legitimate operators. These measures are set out in detail in paragraphs 6.68-6.74 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, published on 21 March 2000.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Government have made to date with regard to relieving Third-World debt; and what further initiatives the UK plans to take to help tackle the remaining significant debt problem. [117685]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Government are providing 100 per cent. relief on the debts of those countries (Bolivia, Mauritania and Uganda) that have already reached decision point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Mozambique is also receiving 100 per cent. relief on the debts it owes to ECGD, in advance of its reaching decision point under the HIPC initiative. This is to aid the country in its reconstruction efforts after the disastrous effects of the floods.
The UK is pressing for swift and successful implementation of the existing debt relief package, which will reduce the debts of the poorest countries by $100 billion.
4 Apr 2000 : Column: 461W
Mr. Field:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Ms Taylor) of 22 February 2000, Official Report, column 975W, if the figures for the number of low-birthweight babies in England and Wales born between 1990 and 1998 are derived from a consistent method of measurement. [117068]
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.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Frank Field, dated 4 April 2000:
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Minister in his Department has responsibility for regulatory reform; and if he will make a statement. [117422]
Dawn Primarolo:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr. Quinn) by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in employment face a marginal income tax rate of 10 per cent; how many of those are (a) in part-time employment and (b) women; and if he will make a statement. [117411]
Dawn Primarolo:
In 2000-01, there are estimated to be around 1.6 million employees who have a marginal income tax rate of 10 per cent. Of those, 1.4 million people are in part-time employment. 1.1 million women in employment have a 10 per cent. marginal rate of income tax (around 70 per cent. of the women will also be included in the part-time figure).
These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and Family Expenditure Survey and consistent with the March 2000 Budget.
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the figures for the (a) total assets, (b) total liabilities, and (c) net worth of the public sector, referred to in paragraph 2.70 of the Red Book, HC 346, for each year from 1990-91 to 2004-05. [116851]
Dawn Primarolo:
Outturn figures for total assets, total liabilities and net worth for the public sector at end-December of each year are available from the Office
4 Apr 2000 : Column: 462W
for National Statistics. Outturns and forecasts of net worth as a per cent. of GDP were published in Tables C1 and C22 of the March 2000 Financial Statement and Budget Report.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) remuneration, (b) fee and (c) expenses were paid out of public funds to Mr. Martin Taylor for his report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling. [117649]
Dawn Primarolo:
Martin Taylor received no remuneration or fees for his work. No out-of-pocket expenses were paid directly to Martin Taylor. The cost of train tickets for travel to and from meetings outside London were met by Customs and Excise.
Mrs. Lait:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Martin Taylor received remuneration, a fee or out-of- pocket expenses paid out of public funds for his report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling; and who owns the copyright of his report. [117504]
Dawn Primarolo:
Martin Taylor received no remuneration or fees for his work. No out-of-pocket expenses were paid directly to Martin Taylor. The cost of train tickets for travel to and from meetings outside London were met by Customs and Excise.
As Martin Taylor provided personal advice to the Chancellor there is no question of copyright.
Mrs. Lait:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the report by Martin Taylor on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling concluded about (a) the significance of the difference in the levels of tobacco taxation between the United Kingdom and other nations and (b) the likelihood, without a closer alignment of national tobacco tax levels, of other measures to combat smuggling having a substantial effect. [117505]
Dawn Primarolo:
Martin Taylor's advice to the Chancellor was personal and confidential. It would therefore not be appropriate to disclose his advice.
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking if the figures for the number of low birthweight babies between 1990 to 1998 are from a consistent method of measurement.
The figures provided in the Answer to the honourable Member of Stockton South in 22nd February Official Report, column 975W were all based on a definition of low birthweight as a birth where the baby was stated to have weighed less than 2,500 grams. The figures were provided for health authorities between 1990 and 1998. These were subject to a number of boundary changes. For consistency the figures provided for all of these years related to boundaries as at 1st April 1999.
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