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Payroll Giving

Dr. Godman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to date of the give-as-you-earn scheme; and what estimate he has made of the likely cost over the next three years. [135950]

Mr. Gordon Brown: The cost of the Payroll Giving scheme since it was introduced in 1986 has been published in Inland Revenue Statistics on an annual basis. The total cost of the scheme up to April 2000 was £53 million. The estimated cost until April 2003 is around £60 million.

9 Nov 2000 : Column: 340W

The Economic Secretary launched a £2 million promotional campaign in October this year to encourage more employers and employees to become involved in Payroll Giving. We aim to double donations by April 2003 to more than £60 million a year.

Family Incomes

Dr. George Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what change there has been in the income of an average working family (a) before and (b) after tax since May 1997. [135951]

Mr. Gordon Brown: The before-tax income of a single-earner family on average earnings with two children is expected to increase by 6 per cent. in real terms over the Parliament. After tax, it is expected to increase by 10 per cent. in real terms.

Tax Credits

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rates and thresholds to the Working Families Tax Credit and the Disabled Person's Tax Credit will be from April 2001. [138179]

Dawn Primarolo: The main WFTC and DPTC rates and income thresholds will be increased in line with indexation from April 2001. There will be further increases aimed at helping disabled people. The information requested is contained in the table.

Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) and Disabled Person's Tax Credit (DPTC)

		£ per week
	2000-01	2001-02
WFTC--basic tax credit	53.15	54.00
DPTC--single person basic tax credit	55.15	56.05
DPTC--lone parent/couple basic tax credit	84.90	86.25
30-hour tax credit (for both WFTC and DPTC)	11.25	11.45
Child tax credits (for both WFTC and DPTC)
Under 16	25.60	26.00
16-18	26.35	26.75
Disabled Child Tax Credit (for both WFTC and DPTC)	22.25	30.00
Enhanced Disability Tax Credit (lone parent/couple)	n/a	16.00
Enhanced Disability Tax Credit (single person)	n/a	11.05
Enhanced Disability Tax Credit (child)	n/a	11.05
WFTC income threshold	91.45	92.90
DPTC income threshold--single person	71.10	72.25
DPTC income threshold--lone parent/couple	91.45	92.90

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to his Department's departmental expenditure limits and running costs limits for 2000-01. [138054]

Dawn Primarolo: Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class XVI, Vote 1 (HM Treasury) and Class XVI, Vote 3 (HM Treasury: Office of Government Commerce), the Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000-01 will be increased by £17,230,000 from £246,793,000 to £264,023,000.

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The increase for Class XVI, Vote 1 (HM Treasury) is the net effect of the take up of end-year flexibility (EYF) of £1,000,000 comprising £980,000 for other current provision and £20,000 for capital, and provides for the drawing of £1,300,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund for the continuing costs associated with the setting up for Partnerships UK; and an increase in running costs of £541,000 to draw down the monies allocated from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund. The running costs limit for HM Treasury will accordingly be increased by £541,000 from £63,523,000 to £64,064,000.

The increase for Class XVI, Vote 3 (HM Treasury: Office of Government Commerce) is the net effect of the take up of EYF for PACE of £15,000,000 comprising £14,175,000 other current provision and £825,000 for running costs for expenditure related to the disposal of vacant property; the take up of EYF for CCTA of £797,000 comprising £686,000 other current provision and £111,000 for capital due to costs related to increased business; an increase in running costs of £325,000 to draw down the monies allocated from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund for OGC Headquarters; and a reduction in other current provision to record two transfers, of £663,000 for the cost of ownership of Harmsworth House to Class IV, Vote 3 (Charity Commission), and of £1,070,000 for the cost of ownership of Fleetbank House to Class IX, Vote 8 (Office of Fair Trading). As a result of take up of £825,000 EYF and drawing down £325,000 from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund, the running costs limit for HM Treasury Office of Government Commerce will accordingly be increased by £1,150,000 from £23,402,000 to £24,552,000.

The increases will be offset by transfers or charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Mortgage Repayments

Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the average household in mortgage repayments were current interest rates at the average level between 1992 and 1997. [135971]

Miss Melanie Johnson: If mortgage interest rates were now at their average level between 1992 and 1997, the average mortgage holder would be paying about £480 more a year in mortgage interest than they currently are.

Fuel Duties

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the level of fuel duties; and if he will make a statement. [135970]

Mr. Timms: The Government have received representation from many different organisations and groups as well as a large number of letters from members of the public.

All were carefully considered in the run up to yesterday's pre-Budget Statement.

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Macdougall Report

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the Macdougall report regarding the share of GDP to be raised and spent centrally in any currency zone. [136416]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Agenda 2000 agreements confirmed that a ceiling of 1.27 per cent. of Community GNP would continue to apply for member states' contributions to the EC budget and this will remain.

Tax Definitions

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will define the terms (a) tax harmonisation and (b) tax co-ordination. [136414]

Dawn Primarolo: The only reference to tax harmonisation in the European Communities Treaty is in Article 93 which provision formed part of the revised Treaty under the Single European Act signed in 1986.

A reference to co-ordinated action to tackle harmful tax competition was contained in the ECOFIN Council conclusions of 1 December 1997. These conclusions followed a period of discussion initiated by the Commission at the Verona informal ECOFIN in April 1996.

Endowment Policies

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of (a) how many endowment policies sold on the basis that they would on completion pay off home loans will now not do so and (b) the total shortfall; what steps he is taking to address this issue; and if he will make a statement. [136973]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The selling and marketing of endowment policies is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). In a progress report published on 3 October, the FSA estimated that some 60 per cent. of the 11 million endowment policies in force might not meet their targets. The total value of the policies in force, and the projected shortfall, are not held centrally.

Working Families Tax Credit

Mr. Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the number of recipients of the Working Families Tax Credit. [137388]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my right hon. Friend to my answer given to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 26 October 2000, Official Report, column 196W.

Capital Gains Indexation

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 28 July 2000, Official Report, column 1016W, on capital gains indexation, if he will revise his estimate (a) giving yields for the next five financial years assuming that asset values are constant in real terms, and (b) giving yields for the next five financial years assuming that retirement relief is reintroduced at its previous level and asset values are constant in real terms. [136296]

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Dawn Primarolo: Consistent with the assumptions of the March 2000 Budget forecast, the net revenue yield from re-introducing indexation and abolishing taper is estimated to be £400 million for the first year, or £350 million if retirement relief were reinstated also, most of which would be received in the following year. Further information in the form requested on the yield for subsequent years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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