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Tax Credits (Northampton)
Ms Keeble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Northampton North have received the Working Families Tax Credit. [131941]
Dawn Primarolo: The number of families in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit at the end of May 2000 is provisionally estimated at 1,056,000. Available figures by constituency are given in tables which have been deposited in the Library.
Ms Keeble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Northampton North have received the Children's Tax Credit. [131942]
Dawn Primarolo: The Children's Tax Credit will be announced from 6 April 2001. I am afraid an estimate of the number of families in Northampton, North who could benefit from it is not available, but an estimated 400,000 families in the East Midlands could do so.
Public Sector
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 17 July 2000, Official Report, column 98W, when he will next publish estimates of (a) public net worth and (b) public gross worth; and if he will make a statement. [131950]
Mr. Andrew Smith: Updated forecasts of public sector net worth will be published in the Pre-Budget Report in the autumn.
Alcohol-related Crime
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the taxes on high percentage volume beers, lagers and ciders as a means of reducing alcohol-related crime. [131898]
Dawn Primarolo: Any change to the level of UK alcohol duties is a matter for the Chancellor's Budget deliberations.
Self-employment
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the fall in self-employment since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [131966]
Miss Melanie Johnson: It seems likely that the strong expansion in employee job opportunities since 1997 has encouraged some of the self-employed to switch to employee jobs. Total employment has increased by over one million since the General Election in 1997.
24 Jul 2000 : Column: 488W
Drake Insurance Plc
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to protect consumers who insured their motor vehicles with Drake Insurance plc and who have now had their policies cancelled. [132087]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The courts have sanctioned the appointment of a provisional liquidator to manage the affairs of Drake Insurance plc. There is also statutory provision for the protection of certain policyholders under the Policyholders Protection Act 1975.
The provisional liquidator and the Policyholders Protection Board, together with some commercial interests, are working to secure the best outcome for policyholders.
Consultation
Mr. Rogers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses to determine whether a trade body is representative of an industry and should be consulted in the formulation of a policy decision. [132260]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Cabinet Office Consultation Code of Practice says that consultation documents should be made widely available and effectively drawn to the attention of all interested groups.
Electronic Service Delivery
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how capability for electronic service delivery is defined in his document entitled "Prudent for a Purpose". [132268]
Mr. Andrew Smith: Substantial new investment is being provided to ensure that all Government services are on-line by 2005. The definition of capability for electronic service delivery, and the arrangements for monitoring the number of services that are enabled for electronic transactions, are set out in the periodic reports published on the Central Information Technology Unit's website (http://www.citu.gov.uk).
EU Structural Funds
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent arrangements he has made to ensure that Government match funds are efficiently delivered through each Government Department, in the UK's four EU Objective 1 regions. [132052]
Mr. Andrew Smith: Resources for public sector match funding for Objective 1 projects have been provided for within Departments' total spending review settlements. The new PSA targets in Spending Review 2000 set tough targets on improving value for money and efficiency across the public sector.
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the public funds available to (a) the DTI, (b) the DETR, (c) MAFF, (d) DCMS, (e) DfEE and (f) the Welsh Assembly to match the funds available to the UK's four EU Objective One regions. [132053]
24 Jul 2000 : Column: 489W
Mr. Andrew Smith: It remains the responsibility of grant applicants to secure match funding from a wide range of Government programmes. The identity of match funding sources will depend on the nature of the projects brought forward under the Objective 1 programmes.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April have not received substantive answers, excluding those not answered (a) citing disproportionate costs, (b) stating that the information is not available, not held centrally, or not held in the form requested or (c) citing commercial or other confidentiality. [132129]
Mr. Timms: Very few Parliamentary questions will not have been answered substantively, either in their entirety or in part, for reasons other than those specified in the hon. Member's question. But determining exactly how many would entail scrutinising individually the answers to the 1,676 questions tabled in the period concerned. This is an undertaking which could be completed only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April have not received substantive answers, citing as the reason (a) commercial and (b) other confidentiality. [128015]
Mr. Timms [pursuant to his replies, 26 June 2000, c. 428, and 29 June 2000, c. 591]: The number of questions tabled between 19 October and 20 April 2000 was 1,676 and not 1,479, a figure which relates to the 1999-2000 session up to 20 April.
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for his Department and its agencies the approved list of manufacturers of (a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement on his Department's leasing and purchasing policy. [128982]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Treasury does not use any cars or commercial vehicles, other than those provided under contract with the Government Car and Despatch Agency. Information about the cars provided was contained in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 19 July 2000, Official Report, column 191W.
European Single Currency
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent to which the euroland economies have merged in accordance with the economic criteria set out in the five tests for UK membership; and if he will make a statement. [130787]
24 Jul 2000 : Column: 490W
Miss Melanie Johnson: The five economic tests set out by the Chancellor are to judge the economic case for UK membership of the single currency only.
National Savings
Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome is of the Treasury's five-yearly review of National Savings. [132685]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Government's quinquennial review of National Savings was announced on 11 January. The review took a fundamental look at the strategic purpose of the functions carried out by the agency in the light of developing circumstances and Government policy. It then considered what organisational structure might best deliver the Government's policy objectives. In doing so, it looked at all the options on their merits, with the aim of identifying whether National Savings remains the most suitable way of delivering policy.
The review recognised the importance of recent innovations in National Savings to making the agency more efficient and more flexible. This includes the role played by outsourcing its operations. It is now better placed than ever to build on this achievement to modernise and adapt to the changing market in which it operates. It now has the potential to match the best in the financial services market, providing choice and good value products for savers and investors in the very competitive savings market.
The review sees these developments as central to National Savings continuing to make a valuable contribution to the cost-effectiveness of the national debt by offering attractive products and services to members of the public. It will set a clear and overarching objective to achieve cost-effective Government debt management. National Savings, which will remain a Government agency, funds a significant amount--over £62 billion--of the national debt. Taxpayers will continue to see the benefit of National Savings' contribution, which is more cost-effective than comparable gilt-edged securities.
This is also good news for existing National Savings savers and for future customers. National Savings will be working to give its current and new customers more attractive, more up to date products and services. People will also get more choice on how they access those products. In addition to being able to get National Savings products through the Post Office and by post as they do now, customers will in future be able to choose from a wide range of channels.
In taking forward the review's recommendations, National Savings will continue to modernise its activities to make and keep it relevant, efficient and cost-effective. This will involve focusing on developing those aspects of the business that can operate competitively and cost-effectively, and continuing to develop new products as well as embracing innovations and new ideas.
The outcome of the review will be taken forward in a new business strategy, and reflected in the framework document which governs the relationship between the Agency, the Treasury and Ministers.