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Pensioners (Taxation)

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost is to the Exchequer of altering the tax code of a retired individual income taxpayer (a) at the start of the tax year and (b) during the tax year, after the original tax code has been set. [124037]

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual tax codes of people receiving age-related income tax allowances had to be changed by the Inland Revenue in (a) April 1999, (b) May 1999, (c) April 2000 and (d) May 2000. [124036]

Dawn Primarolo: Some 2 million notices of coding were issued to people aged 65 or more in May 2000 to reflect increases in their income tax allowances. Separate figures for this age group are not available for the other dates requested.

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men over 65, (b) men over 80, (c) women over 60 and (d) women over 80 years completed an Inland Revenue self-assessment tax form for the tax years (i) 1996-97, (ii) 1997-98 and (iii) 1998-99; and in each case, what proportion of them had a nil liability for income tax and capital gains tax in that year. [124035]

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Dawn Primarolo: If a retired pensioner's income was below the level of their personal allowance in the previous tax year then they should fall outside the criteria for issue of a tax return in all but exceptional circumstances.

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for simplifying the Inland Revenue's administrative rules and practices as they apply to pensioners; and if he will make a statement. [124038]

Dawn Primarolo: The Government are working to ensure that dealing with the Inland Revenue is as simple as possible for taxpayers. That is why last July I announced measures which are taking up to 400,000 people--about half of whom are pensioners--out of self-assessment. The Inland Revenue is committed to supporting pensioners, whether in self-assessment or not, with a high level of customer service.

This Government are spending an extra £6.5 billion on pensioners across the course of this Parliament. We increased the age-related personal allowances for 1999-2000 by up to £200 above inflation, and for 2000-01 maintained them by increasing them by indexation. We have also introduced the 10p starting rate of income tax, extended it to savings and cut the basic rate to 22p.

Farm Averaging Rules

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to abolish or reform farm averaging rules. [124045]

Dawn Primarolo: There are no such plans at present.

VAT (Sports Organisations)

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the correspondence between HM Customs & Excise and the European Commission on VAT exemption for sports clubs and organisations. [123053]

Dawn Primarolo: Correspondence between the Commission and British officials are not usually placed before the House. In concluding the debate on The Value

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Added Tax (Sports, Sports Competitions and Physical Education) Order 1999 in Standing Committee on 26 October 1999, I offered to keep members informed of progress made by Customs and Excise in resolving issues for commercial sports clubs arising from their VAT position under EU law. I will continue to do so.

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action his Department plans to take in respect of the recent Deloitte Touche report on VAT in respect of VAT levied on voluntary and community sports organisations and clubs. [123083]

Dawn Primarolo: It is not clear to which report the question refers. However, non-profit making organisations and clubs do not have to levy VAT on sporting services other than those supplied to non-members.

VAT (British Legion Poppies)

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the requirement that the Royal British Legion must pay value added tax on the supply of poppies produced at its poppy factory; and if he will make a statement. [R] [123659]

Dawn Primarolo: There is no question of VAT being applied to poppies given in return for a donation. Customs are now consulting with the Royal British Legion about extending an existing concession so that it will cover materials bought to make up the lapel badge poppies.

Heroin

Mr. Goggins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the amount and (b) the proportion of heroin coming to the UK which originates in (i) Colombia, (ii) Burma, (iii) Afghanistan, (iv) Pakistan and (v) other major supplier countries. [124526]

Dawn Primarolo: There are currently no generally accepted estimates of the scale of heroin supply. HM Customs and Excise, along with other drugs enforcement agencies, are contributing to a comprehensive research programme to improve our understanding of the supply of drugs to the UK and Europe.

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Drug Cultivation

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what drug reduction programmes are operated by the World Bank in countries where there is illicit drug cultivation. [118511]

Clare Short: The World Bank works in co-operation with the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) in Brazil, tackling prevention of HIV Aids acquired through intravenous drug abuse. Bolivia receives significant World Bank support for infrastructure work in illicit crop-producing regions, where UNDCP is providing support for development of alternative sustainable livelihoods. The World Bank is also working in partnership with UNDCP in Laos on a six-year programme to assist the development of alternative sustainable livelihoods.

Cancer Care Services

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government are taking to assist developing countries improve the quality of their cancer care services; and if he will make a statement. [123796]

Clare Short: We contribute in assisting developing countries to improve the quality of their cancer care services through our support for the World Health Organisation's work in non-communicable diseases and its global role in standard setting, monitoring disease prevalence and advising national Governments on appropriate care. In addition, as reproductive health and safe motherhood is a priority for DFID, we also directly support research into cervical cancer prevention.

Fiji

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which projects her Department supports in Fiji. [123917]

Clare Short: Our efforts in the Pacific are now concentrated on building up a regional programme focused on the reduction of poverty. This seeks to work with regional organisations and key multilateral organisations, particularly in the areas of education and governance.

The Republic of the Fiji Islands has received assistance through the Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) Project and the Governance Fund.

RRRT provides a range of innovative support in legal education, training and technical assistance. A major aim of the project is to have a functional network of Legal Rights Training Officers equipped with participatory teaching and advocacy skills to design and deliver appropriately adapted human rights education and to disseminate information about the law and human rights to women, youth and disadvantaged groups in their communities. RRRT supports two Legal Rights Training Officer positions in the Fiji Islands and has provided

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technical and training support to the Judiciary, Law Reform Commission, Human Rights Commission, Social Welfare Department and the Police.

The Governance Fund provides small grants aimed at encouraging the development of a culture for good governance and funds activities that raise public awareness and understanding of governance and which encourage meaningful participation through consultations in policy formulation. Assistance has been provided in the Fiji Islands only where activities serve as a model for best practice and have a broader regional impact mainly to Civil Society Organisations and Government.

The Fiji Islands receive assistance through the Small Grant Scheme which is administered by the British High Commission and enables them to provide small development projects which address one or more of DFID's priority objectives.

We will be reviewing our programme in Fiji in the light of recent developments.

Special Advisers

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions since 31 March 1999 (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity. [124109]

Clare Short: Special Advisers from my Department have travelled abroad on official business on three occasions since 31 March 1999.

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