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Construction Industry Scheme

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions and on what dates, the joint working group appointed to review the construction industry scheme, met; and if minutes of its meeting will be published. [140358]

Dawn Primarolo: The Joint Working Group met eight times. The dates it sat on were the 11 April, 3 May, 17 May, 31 May, 14 June, 21 June, 17 July and 10 August.

The group was set up so that the industry and the Revenue could share their concerns and build up an overall picture of how best to reduce the administrative costs of the construction industry scheme while continuing to protect the flow of tax and NI to the Exchequer. The group does not intend to publish the minutes of its meetings, as this may not only breach confidentiality but put tax at risk.

However, the Joint Working Group was clear that the route to a cheaper but secure scheme lay in the electronic exchange of information. The initial steps taken towards

27 Nov 2000 : Column: 480W

an electronic future and what further work will now be done is given in Inland Revenue Press Release (PR REV6/2000) published on 8 November.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish performance outturns in relation to targets set in the public service agreements following the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review for all Departments; and if he will make a statement. [140110]

Mr. Andrew Smith: Performance outturns against the targets set for all Departments in the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review Public Service Agreements were published in the spring 2000 Departmental Reports. The next such report is due in spring 2001.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the average length of time taken by his Department to answer a parliamentary question tabled for a named day in July; what was the average number of days by which the day an answer was given exceeded the named day; and if he will make a statement; [140296]

Mr. Timms: In the 1999-2000 session to date, 59 per cent. of named day written questions, 71 per cent. of ordinary written questions and 89 per cent. of House of Lords written questions have been answered on time. The Treasury's targets for these categories of questions are 50 per cent., 70 per cent. and 80 per cent. respectively.

The information sought relating to answers to named day questions could not readily be provided from the Treasury's records.

Widowers

Mr. Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the implications of the Crossland case for the claims of widowers for equality of treatment. [140624]

Dawn Primarolo: The case of Christopher Crossland has no implications for other claims for Widow's Bereavement Allowance. The Government recognise that the system of tax allowances which applied before 2000 did not target support fairly on those who needed it most. A new system has now been introduced, which focuses resources on families with children. Most widows and widowers with children under 16 will, from next April, be entitled to the Children's Tax Credit, worth over twice as much as the Widow's Bereavement Allowance. We believe that this will give the right support to those who need it most.

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Inheritance Tax

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many inheritance tax returns were filed in each of the years ending on 5 April (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000; [140164]

Dawn Primarolo: The number of accounts received for each of the financial years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 were 52,800, 51,300 and 56,300 respectively. For compliance reasons, and because of the operation of reliefs, these include estates not ultimately liable to tax.

Figures broken down by net assets are not available on this basis. The available data relate to the size of estates and tax liability on deaths in 1997-98 and were published in Inland Revenue Statistics 2000 Table 12.4 (page 127), a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

Taxation

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the change in the overall level of taxation has been since 1 May 1997. [140153]

Mr. Andrew Smith: Figures for tax revenues were published in Annex B of the November 2000 pre-Budget report.

Road Fuel

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates over the last three months his Department held meetings with representatives of major oil companies; and on which such occasions he discussed (a) petroleum revenue tax and (b) ultra low sulphur petrol. [138516]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 16 November 2000]: The Government met representatives of the major oil companies on 7 November and discussed the availability of ultra-low sulphur petrol in the UK.

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to place an additional tax on diesel fuel carried on commercial road vehicles arriving in the United Kingdom from other European Union member states where the comparable cost of fuel is significantly lower, by virtue of differential duty or taxation of fuel. [140009]

Mr. Timms: There are no plans to charge any additional duty on diesel fuel carried in the standard fuel tanks of commercial vehicles arriving from other EU member states.

Mr. Opik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a fuel rebate for volunteer ambulance and other volunteer drivers; and if he will make a statement. [140246]

Mr. Timms: There are no plans to introduce a rebate scheme for volunteer drivers. However, all motorists will benefit from the measures announced in the pre-Budget report.

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Ms Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the duty point for independent petrol retailers. [138775]

Mr. Timms: There are no plans to change the point at which duty is charged on mineral oils.

Smuggled Fuel

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish for each of the last five years and the current year to the most recent date for which figures are available, his estimate of the loss to the Revenue of (a) petrol and (b) diesel fuel smuggled into Northern Ireland and not seized by the RUC and Inland Revenue officials. [140319]

Mr. Timms: HM Customs and Excise has responsibility for excise revenues. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 March 2000, Official Report, column 442W.

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish for each of the last five years and the current financial year to the latest date for which information is available, the quantities of smuggled road fuel seized by Revenue officials and the RUC in Northern Ireland, indicating the quantity of (a) diesel and (b) petrol seized; and what was the amount of revenue lost to the Exchequer associated with such smuggled fuel. [140317]

Mr. Timms: For the seizures of smuggled fuel for financial years 1995-96 to 1999-2000, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 5 July 2000, Official Report, column 201W. For the period April to September 2000, seizures of smuggled fuel are as follows:



Car Scheme Rules

Mr. Rammell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 29 June 2000, Official Report, column 591W, on car scheme rules, what petrol price is assumed in the Inland Revenue fixed profit car scheme calculation. [139909]

Mr. Timms: None. The proposals are a development of the current rates, to provide a greater incentive to drive cleaner vehicles for business trips, as explained in paragraphs 6.61-6.62 of the Pre-Budget Report.

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