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TREASURY

Climate Change Levy

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many horticulture firms have (a) applied for and (b) received support from the Climate Change Levy Energy Efficiency Fund. [142625]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 14 December 2000]: As announced in Spending Review 2000, energy efficiency funding from the climate change levy will be administered by a business led, not for profit, limited company--the Carbon Trust, which is currently being set up through the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2000, Official Report, column 118W, on the Climate Change Levy, how many small and medium enterprises are covered by the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations. [143077]

Mr. Timms: Approximately 20 per cent. of the sites covered by the Pollution Prevention and Control Part A regulations are operated by small and medium sized enterprises. However, significantly more small and medium sized enterprises will be entitled to climate change levy rebates as the size thresholds in the regulations--other than those thresholds relating to combustion plant--will not apply for this purpose.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what relief from the Climate Change Levy is available for (a) vehicle manufacturers and (b) brewers in the UK; and in how many cases relief has been granted. [143075]

Mr. Timms: Significant parts of these sectors will be entitled to 80 per cent. CCL rebates under negotiated agreements and applications are currently being processed. As with other sectors, vehicle manufacturers and brewers will also be able to benefit from the NICs rebate, the exemptions for renewables and Combined Heat and Power, support for energy efficiency spending and Enhanced Capital Allowances for energy saving investments.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the amount of climate change levy revenue which will be forgone as a result of agreements with business sectors or individual firms. [143073]

Mr. Timms: The Government expects that offering an 80 per cent. discount on the climate change levy to firms which sign up to demanding negotiated agreements will save those sectors £360 million in 2001-02.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of the climate change levy for the china clay industry. [142486]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 13 December 2000]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 12 December 2000, Official Report, column 117W.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the cost of the introduction of the climate change levy for the United Kingdom horticulture industry. [142620]

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Mr. Timms [holding answer 14 December 2000]: The climate change levy will raise an estimated £1 billion in its first year, all of which will be recycled to business via a 0.3 percentage point cut in employers' National Insurance Contributions and £150 million of spending on energy efficiency. We expect the levy to be broadly neutral between services and manufacturing. The effect on any specific business, sector or region will depend on a number of factors, including their future energy consumption, the level of employment, eligibility for discounts, use of renewable or combined heat and power energy, and take up of enhanced capital allowances. In recognition of the unique position of the UK horticulture sector, a special package of measures--including a 50 per cent. discount on levy payments--was announced in Budget 2000.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction in public sector national insurance contributions resulting from the introduction of the climate change levy on the level of public expenditure. [142964]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 15 December 2000]: The impact of the introduction of the climate change levy package in April 2001 is broadly neutral for both the public and private sectors.

Energy Efficiency Fund

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many small and medium enterprises have (a) applied for and (b) received grants from the Energy Efficiency Fund; and what is the value of the grants so made. [143076]

Mr. Timms: As announced in Spending Review 2000, energy efficiency funding from the climate change levy will be administered by a business led, not for profit, limited company--the Carbon Trust, which is currently being set up through the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Inheritance Tax

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue yield and cost of (a) increasing and (b) reducing the length of time that inheritance tax is chargeable on gifts made within seven years before death by one year. [142245]

Dawn Primarolo: Increasing to eight years the period within which gifts are charged would yield about £10 million in a full year. Reducing it to six years would cost about £15 million in a full year.

Census 2001

Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what consultation was carried out regarding the accessibility of the design of the England and Wales Census 2001 forms for visually impaired and deaf-blind people; [141548]

(2) if Census 2001 returns in England and Wales from blind, partially sighted and deaf-blind people will be accepted if they are submitted in alternative formats, with particular reference to (a) large print, (b) Braille, (c) disc, (d) audio-tape and (e) e-mail; [141550]

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(3) what arrangements are in place to provide one-to-one assistance to visually impaired and deaf-blind people with completion of Census 2001 forms in England and Wales; [141551]

(4) what provision has been made for Census 2001 enumerators in England and Wales to receive specific visual impairment and deaf-blind awareness training; [141552]

(5) what provision has been made for Census 2001 forms in England and Wales and accompanying information to be made available to blind, partially sighted and deaf-blind people in accessible formats, with particular reference to (a) Braille, (b) large print, (c) disc and (d) audio-tape. [141549]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 12 December 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Andrew George, dated 18 December 2000:

As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent questions concerning provisions in the 2001 Census for those who are visually impaired or deafblined (141549-52).

An important new initiative for the 2001 Census is the Community Liaison Programme, through which the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census staff have consulted and work with community liaison groups and national organisations specifically to assist those who would find the completion of the Census questionnaire difficult. A great deal of consultation has already taken place with several organisations including the Royal National Institute for the Blind, Help the Aged, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf to ensure that we meet the needs of disabled people, including visually impaired and deafblind people.

General information about the Census will be available in leaflets in Braille, and in a large print version. The questions and instructions from the official Census form in Braille will be available on request. An audio tape explaining the Census and the questions is expected to be available February 2001. The Census web site will feature disability awareness issues and the text phone Helpline for the deaf will be operating from 1 April 2001.

We do not propose to provide the Census forms themselves in Braille or in large print version since the Census is being processed using scanning and image recognition technologies which cannot accommodate forms other than in the standard format. Help in completing the form will, however, be provided by Census enumerators, on a one-to-one basis if necessary, and the blind will be able to provide their Census information by telephone to the Census Helpline or via e-mail using the Braille leaflet as a guide to the questions.

Census Area Managers have received specialist training presented by external expert in disability awareness and this training is being cascaded down to all members of the field force. A guide for all the field staff which includes disability awareness issues is also being produced.

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