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TREASURY

Opinion Polling

Mr. St. Aubyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) quantitative and (b) qualitative analytical work Her Majesty's Treasury has commissioned from GGC/NOP since 1 May 1997; and what was (i) the cost of the contract and (ii) the specific nature of the work commissioned. [155661]

Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 28 March 2001]: None.

Resource Accounts

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the resource accounts for each class for 1999-2000 were laid before Parliament; and from what date in each case copies were available to hon. Members in the Vote Office. [155444]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 29 March 2001]: The dates on which departmental resource accounts were laid before the House of Commons are listed in the table.

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Class reference(6)	HC no.	Cmd no.(7)	Departments	Date laid
I	182		DFEE	31 January 2001
I	189		Teachers Pension Scheme	31 January 2001
I	155		Ofsted	25 January 2001
II	188		NHS Pension Scheme (England and Wales)	31 January 2001
II	194		Department of Health	31 January 2001
III		5054	Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions	30 March 2001
III	176		Ofwat	31 January 2001
III	184		ORR	31 January 2001
IV		5055	Home Office	30 March 2001
IV	191		Charity Commission	31 January 2001
V		5056	Lord Chancellor's Department	30 March 2001
V		5060	Treasury Solicitors	30 March 2001
V	193		Crown Prosecution Service	31 January 2001
V	134		Public Records Office	25 January 2001
V	198		Serious Fraud Office	31 January 2001
V	199		Northern Ireland Court Service	31 January 2001
VI	4		Armed Forces Pension Scheme--MOD	13 December 2000
VI	50		Defence--MOD Consolidated	31 January 2001
VII	195		FCO	31 January 2001
VIII	116		DfID	31 January 2001
VIII	187		DfID--Superannuation Pensions	31 January 2001
IX	11		DTI--Main	20 December 2000
IX	51		ECGD	20 December 2000
IX	24		Ofgem	20 December 2000
IX	75		OFT	31 January 2001
IX	151		Oftel	31 January 2001
IX	10		UK Atomic Energy Authority--DTI	20 December 2000
X		5057	MAFF	30 March 2001
X	196		Forestry Commission	31 January 2001
X	201		Forestry Commission Pension Scheme	31 January 2001
X	833		Intervention Board Executive Agency	9 November 2000
XI	181		DCMS	31 January 2001
XII	183		DSS	31 January 2001
XIII	186		Scotland Office	31 January 2001
XIV	96		Wales Office	24 January 2001
XV		5058	Northern Ireland Office	30 March 2001
XVI		5062	HM Treasury	30 March 2001
XVI	192		Crown Estate	31 January 2001
XVI	165		Customs and Excise	31 January 2001
XVI	830		Department of National Savings	2 November 2000
XVI	153		GAD	31 January 2001
XVI	129		Inland Revenue	24 January 2001
XVI	798		National Investment and Loans Office	22 November 2000
XVII	185		Office for National Statistics	31 January 2001
XVII		5053	Cabinet Office	30 March 2001
XVII		5059	Security and Intelligence Agencies	4 April 2001
XVII		5061	Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation	30 March 2001
XVII	190		Central Office for Information	31 January 2001
XVII	197		Privy Council Office	31 January 2001

⁽⁶⁾ The system of 'class' and 'vote' numbering applies solely to appropriation accounts rather than resource accounts; the numbers above indicate the corresponding 'class' of the Departments' appropriation account

⁽⁷⁾ With the agreement of the NAO, these accounts were due for presentation as Command Papers by 30 March 2001

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Provision of copies of these accounts by the Vote Office is a matter for the House Authorities, though I understand that these accounts should be available to hon. Members within a few days of being laid.

Foot and Mouth

Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if roll-over relief is available to farmers receiving lump sum compensation for foot and mouth disease who wish to reinvest in livestock in future years. [156900]

Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 5 April 2001]: Animals used in a farming trade are not chargeable assets for capital gains purposes. They are part of a farmer's trading stock so that any compensation for their loss will be on revenue rather than capital account and form part of the farmer's trading income.

Compensation received for animals that have been compulsorily slaughtered is treated in the same way as the proceeds would have been if the animals had been sold. As this is income for tax purposes capital gains tax roll-over relief is not applicable.

Where the herd basis applies, the profit from the disposal of production animals is deferred until they are replaced and the profit is exempt if they are not replaced. Special rules allow profits on the disposal of other animals compulsorily slaughtered to be spread over three years.

The Revenue and Customs are committed to helping individuals and businesses in difficulty as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak. They will respond sympathetically in all cases where customers need help in understanding their entitlements or who are experiencing difficulty in paying tax or national insurance. The Revenue Departments have set up a joint helpline. The number is 0845 300 0157.

Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if applications for temporary rate reductions made because of the foot and mouth epidemic will be given priority over outstanding appeals against the 2000 rating list; [157380]

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(2) what targets have been given to the Valuation Office for determining applications for temporary reductions in business rates on the grounds of the impact of the foot and mouth crisis; [157381]

(3) how many applications have been made for a temporary reduction in business rates arising from the foot and mouth epidemic. [157382]

Dawn Primarolo: In England and Wales to date there have been at least 23,000 appeals made for a temporary reduction in rating assessments on the grounds of the impact of foot and mouth. It will be the Valuation Office Agency's policy to prioritise dealing with such applications. The Valuation Office Agency has recently introduced a system for the structured programming of appeals against rating assessments. As a matter of urgency it is considering how, within this system, to prioritise appeals resulting from the foot and mouth epidemic.

R and D Tax Credit

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms have taken advantage of the research and development tax credit for small and medium-sized enterprises. [157387]

Mr. Timms: Figures for the number of firms that have taken advantage of R and D tax credits will not be available until 2002, when firms incurring R and D expenditure have sent in their tax returns for the first year of operation of the scheme. However, enhanced capital allowances since 1997 and new tax credits to encourage investment and innovation have already saved business over £1 billion.

European Community (Contributions)

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value was of the rebates on the UK's contributions to the EEC budget secured by Governments between 1979 and 1987. [157375]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Details of the United Kingdom's abatement for the years 1985-86 to 1987-88 can be found at Table 20.1 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990-91 to 1992-93" (Cm 1018, January 1990). Details of negotiated refunds for the years

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1980-81 to 1984-85 can be found at Table 3.3 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1986-87 to 1988-89" (Cmnd 9702-II, January 1986).

National Minimum Wage

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the additional income received by residents of Cunninghame, South constituency following the introduction of the national minimum wage; [157396]

(2) how many residents of Cunninghame, South constituency (a) have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage and (b) will benefit from the rise in the level of the national minimum wage. [157397]

Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Brian H. Donohoe, dated 6 April 2001:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions about the benefits of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in Cunninghame South constituency (157396, 157397).

The Office for National Statistics has published estimates of the number of jobs paid at less than NMW rates for 1998, 1999 and 2000. These estimates are based on an improved methodology using data from the New Earnings Survey (NES) and Labour Force Survey (LFS). This methodology provides the best estimates for the number of jobs in the UK paid below low hourly rate thresholds and was developed to overcome the deficiencies inherent in using the NES and LFS separately for measuring low pay.

Estimates for the United Kingdom and Government Office Regions are posted on the National Statistics website at:

www.statistics.gov.uk/nsbase/themes/labour market/nmw lowpay tables.asp

Estimates based on this methodology are not available for the number of jobs paid below NMW rates at Parliamentary Constituency level.

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