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TREASURY

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, will receive a reply to his letters to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury dated 18 May, 29 June and 2 August. [136090]

Mr. Andrew Smith: I have already done so.

Ministerial Directions

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2000, Official Report, column 74W, if he will place supporting documentation and information on ministerial directions since 1990 in the Library; if he will publish the text of each justification given by the Minister for each of these directions; and if he will make a statement. [135451]

Mr. Andrew Smith: This information is not held centrally.

1 Nov 2000 : Column: 514W

Compliance Costs

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the last three months in researching the impact of compliance costs of major taxes and duties. [135874]

Dawn Primarolo: Following an advert in the Official Journal of the European Community on 26 May 2000, two contracts were awarded in September 2000 to undertake the first studies in this research programme.

"Our Stake in Our Future"

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place the representations he has received on the consultation document "Our Stake in Our Future" in the Library; and if he will make a statement on progress in the consultation. [135892]

Mr. Timms: I am currently considering this matter in the light of the 30 written responses to the consultation document.

European Investment Bank

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the name and qualifications of the representative of the United Kingdom on the Board of the European Investment Bank and the United Kingdom institutions or persons to which he is responsible; what part (a) that person and (b) Her Majesty's Government plays in the nomination and appointment of the (i) president and (ii) vice-president of that bank; what changes have (A) occurred and (B) are about to occur in that office; and what representations he has received concerning the filling of such vacancies. [134181]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The governing bodies of the European Investment Bank consist of the Board of Governors, Board of Directors and Management Committee, as set out in the Bank's Statute (a Protocol to the EC Treaty). The United Kingdom representative on the Board of Governors is the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The UK members of the Board of Directors are listed in the EIB's Annual Report, a copy of which is in the Library. The UK members are nominated by the Chancellor and appointed by the Board of Governors.

The resident Management Committee of the Bank comprises the President and seven Vice-Presidents. Appointments are made by the Board of Governors on a proposal from the Board of Directors. In order to ensure a balance of Vice-Presidents from different member states the Board of Directors considers for appointment a candidate nominated by the Governor of a particular member state. The candidate nominated is a matter for the Governor concerned.

There have recently been two appointments to Vice-Presidency posts.

IR35

Mr. Fraser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of IR35 on the Government's efforts (a) to encourage more skilled IT workers into the country and (b) to tackle social exclusion. [135559]

1 Nov 2000 : Column: 515W

Dawn Primarolo: The IR35 legislation was necessary to ensure fair taxation of everyone who meets the accepted definition of an employee, whether or not they choose to use a personal service company.

ISAs

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will complete the operational review of ISAs. [135902]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Contributions to the review are being considered and an announcement of the outcome will be made shortly.

Rollover Relief

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish draft clauses relating to rollover relief of substantial shareholdings. [135894]

Miss Melanie Johnson: As was stated in the technical note "Corporation Tax: Chargeable Gains: Deferral Relief for Substantial Shareholdings" published by the Inland Revenue on 23 June 2000, our intention is to publish the draft clauses at the time of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's pre-Budget Report. This will be on 8 November 2000.

COM (2000)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards measures outlined in COM (2000) 507; and what changes to UK (a) practice and (b) law are supported by the Government. [135554]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government will submit an Explanatory Memorandum on the proposal and a Regulatory Impact Assessment in the normal way.

Income Tax

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 28 July 2000, Official Report, column 1011W, concerning taxation of incomes exceeding £100,000 a year (a) what assumptions underlay his estimate of an increase of £200 million per annum for subsequent years and (b) when he will next be able to update the information in his answer. [136019]

Dawn Primarolo: As stated in the previous reply, the estimates were based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the economic assumptions at the time of the March 2000 Budget, as published in the "Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report".

Working Families Tax Credit

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families are benefiting from the working families tax credit in the Bury, North constituency. [135914]

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 31 October 2000]: Estimates of the number of families in each parliamentary constituency in receipt of the Working Families-Tax Credit (WFTC) at the end of May, based on five per cent. sample awards, are shown at Table 9.4 in the WFTC Quarterly Enquiry for May 2000. A copy has been placed in the Library.

1 Nov 2000 : Column: 516W

Tax Relief (Sports Clubs)

Mr. Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about tax relief and tax exemptions for community and amateur sports clubs; and if he will make a statement. [135646]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew), on 31 October 2000, Official Report, columns 414-15W.

Tour Operator's Margin Scheme

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to complete the review of the Tour Operator's Margin Scheme. [135875]

Dawn Primarolo: There are currently three cases concerning the application of the Tour Operators' Margin Scheme (TOMS) which are waiting to be considered by the VAT & Duties Tribunal or the Court of Appeal. It is therefore appropriate to await the outcome of these cases before deciding upon any substantive changes to the way in which the TOMS is applied.

Online Transactions

Mr. Fraser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the application of VAT and other taxes to online transactions. [135558]

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's views on taxation and electronic commerce were set out in "Electronic Commerce: The UK's Taxation Agenda" published by the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise in November 1999. Copies were placed in the Library at the time of publication.

Self-assessment

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will conclude his review of the self-assessment inquiry procedures; and if he will make a statement. [135900]

Dawn Primarolo: A research study into Income Tax Self-Assessment inquiries has been carried out jointly by the Inland Revenue and the Chartered Institute of Taxation. The results will be published in due course.

Home Care

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will announce the result of the review of the consultation on the liability for supply of home care by commercial supplies. [135891]

Dawn Primarolo: Following Customs' discussions with the home care sector, details of the proposed Extra Statutory Concession on the VAT liability of home care will be available when the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry lays before Parliament revised regulations governing the conduct of the private recruitment industry.

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