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VAT (Energy Efficiency)
Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission and other European Union member states concerning the introduction of lower rates for VAT on energy-saving materials and installation. [99104]
Mr. Timms: There have been no such discussions within the last year.
Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the Government's projected spending levels over the planning period for (a) income subsidies aimed at assisting people with fuel bills and (b) investment programmes aimed at improving energy efficiency for the fuel poor. [99112]
Mr. Andrew Smith: Personal subsidies made from the Social Security social fund provide one-off single payments to vulnerable people most likely to be at risk from the cold. There are two separate programmes:
A significant number of those suffering fuel poverty live in local authority housing. The Comprehensive Spending Review allocated an additional £3.6 billion for local authority housing capital over the review period. Central government support for local authority housing is planned to almost double over the period 1998-99 to 2001-02, from £1.4 billion to £2.7 billion. Decisions about the composition of their housing capital programmes are for local authorities to determine. On the basis of data collected to monitor the impact of the Capital Receipts Initiative, around one third of capital spending
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on local authority housing is likely to be spent directly or indirectly on measures which will improve energy efficiency.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of converting UK slot machines and coin handling machines to accept euro currency. [98761]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
Should the UK decide to join EMU, conversion costs across the economy would depend on how businesses and other organisations approach the changeover: how effectively they plan ahead and the extent to which changes could be included in routine systems upgrades. That is why the Government published an Outline National Changeover Plan as a planning tool for future preparations. The Automatic Vending Association of Britain is represented on the relevant Treasury groups which are taking work on the Plan forward.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what measures he will take to ensure that ring-fenced revenues from real terms increases in fuel duties can be identified as additional to normal departmental spending on public transport and roads; [99189]
Mr. Timms:
The Chancellor announced in his Pre-Budget Report that the revenues from any real terms increases in road fuel duties will, in future, go straight to a ring-fenced fund for improving public transport and modernising the road network.
Ring-fenced revenues from any real terms increase in fuel duties will be additional to the spending plans set for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in spending reviews.
Additional ring-fenced spending will be identified as such in future DETR Annual Reports and Expenditure Plans.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have taken place in total private building society deposits since (i) April 1998 and (ii) April 1999. [R] [99176]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
Retail balances held by individuals in building societies were as follows:
Winter Fuel Payments were increased to £100 for every eligible pensioner household in Budget 99. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced in his Pre-Budget Statement earlier this month that this payment would be made every year. The increase in the payment will mean annual expenditure of around £800 million. Almost £3 billion has been committed over the lifetime of this Parliament to provide winter fuel payments.
Cold Weather Payments of £8.50 are made to vulnerable people receiving income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance when the average temperature over a seven day period is recorded as, or forecast to be at or below freezing point in their local area. The total expenditure in any particular year will depend on temperatures.
The Comprehensive Spending Review announced a significant increase in resources for the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. Spending on this scheme will rise from £75 million in 1999-2000 to £125 million in 2000-01 and £175 million in 2001-02.
(2) which real terms increases in fuel duty will be ring-fenced in a fund for public transport and road modernisation, as set out in his Pre-Budget Report. [99188]
| £ billion | |
|---|---|
| April 1998 | 98 |
| April 1999 | 102 |
| September 1999 | 108 |
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Combined Heat and Power Plants
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will define good-quality combined heat and power plants, as set out in his pre-Budget report for exemption from the proposed climate change levy. [99192]
Mr. Timms: I would refer the hon. Member to HM Customs & Excise Technical Briefing No.2 which will be placed in the Library later this week.
Pesticides Tax
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for the introduction of a pesticides tax. [99190]
Mr. Timms: On 9 November, the Government published a summary of responses to a consultation on ECOTEC research which looked at the design of a tax or charge scheme for pesticides. The majority of the respondents opposed introduction of such a measure.
The Government are currently exploring with the agrochemical industry whether its objectives can be better achieved through a partnership approach between the Government and the industry.
Capital Gains Tax
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for the simplification of the capital gains tax system for private investors. [R] [99194]
Mr. Timms: I cannot anticipate any changes that my right hon. Friend might wish to make in future Budgets.
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the anticipated net loss to the Exchequer from his proposed changes to capital gains tax on treatment of business assets. [R] [99196]
Mr. Timms: As announced in the pre-Budget report, my right hon. Friend is consulting on the detail of a number of possible changes to the capital gains tax treatment of business assets. No costing can be produced until the detail of the measures is settled.
Fuel Poverty
Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate in which year fuel poverty will be eliminated at the present levels of Government expenditure and resource commitment and under current policies; and what plans he has for further steps which could bring this date forward. [99113]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry, my right hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Mrs. Liddell) announced on 11 November that she and Lord Whitty will jointly chair an inter-Ministerial group to examine the way ahead on fuel poverty. The group will consider the impact of Government programmes to tackle the causes of fuel poverty, as well as the liberalisation of the energy markets which has substantially reduced the cost of keeping warm. In this way, the group will gain a more accurate picture of the extent of the problem and how quickly it can be addressed.
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Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new savers there have been since the start of ISAs; and what criteria are used by his Department in calculating the number of new savers. [R] [99175]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 11 November 1999, Official Report, column 764.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proposals he is considering for encouraging a greater take-up of ISAs; [R] [99179]
(3) what proposals he has for streamlining the existing forms of PEP investment. [R] [99195]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
ISAs have got off to a very promising start. There will be no review of the current rules until ISAs have run for a full year (that is, not before April 2000).
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received calling for the simplifying of ISAs. [R] [99177]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
We have received a number of representations covering various different aspects of ISAs.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of a 5 per cent. real terms rise in tobacco duty on (a) the number of smokers in the United Kingdom and (b) the level of cigarette sales per head in the United Kingdom. [99198]
Mr. Timms:
I have made no such assessment. Since higher tobacco prices are likely to lead to lower consumption, there is a strong public health case for year-on-year real term increases in the price of cigarettes. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made it clear in his Pre-Budget Report that additional revenue raised from such an increase would go to further investment in the National Health Service.
(2) what proposals he is considering for overhauling the current range of ISA accounts available; [R] [99178]
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