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Energy-saving Materials

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to extend the reduced rate of VAT on energy-saving materials to energy-saving materials sold direct for fitting by the purchaser. [157888]

Dawn Primarolo: Energy-saving materials sold direct to the public are not included in the list of goods and services to which, under agreements with our European partners, a reduced rate of VAT may apply. We will be seeking their inclusion as a result of the European Commission's general review of reduced rates planned for 2003.

Pay-slip Booklets

Mr. Mallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pay-slip booklets for the 12-month period commencing April 2001 were re-issued by the Inland Revenue; for what reason the re-issue was necessary; and what the total cost of re-issuing the booklets was. [157896]

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue issues approximately 1.3 million pay-slip booklets during February/March each year to all employers, for their use in making payment in the year commencing on the following 6 April. Thereafter, the IR issues booklets

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weekly to new employers and to those employers who have requested a re-issue due to loss, eg because of change of address or damage. Re-issues are not counted separately from new cases but the average weekly issue of 100 since the bulk issue does not suggest re-issues are occurring on a wide scale for a particular reason.

European Community (Contributions)

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the annual (a) gross and (b) net contributions to the European Community made by the United Kingdom since 1973. [157398]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 6 April 2001]: Details of the United Kingdom's gross contributions, abatement, public sector receipts and net contributions for the period 1973-74 to 1998-99 can be obtained from various Departmental Reports of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments or, previously, Government Expenditure Plans.

The net contribution figure for 1999-2000, and the Government's latest estimate for 2000-01, can be found at footnote 2 to Table C11 of the Budget 2001 (HC 279) published in March. Details of these two figures, ie gross contribution, abatement and public sector receipts, will be included in this year's Departmental Report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments.

Widowers

Mr. Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to pay retrospectively widower's bereavement payments to all men widowed between 6 April 1994 and 5 April 2000 who paid tax in (a) the year in which they were widowed and (b) the following year. [157856]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute (Mrs. Michie) on 23 November 2000, Official Report, column 317W.

Departmental Policies (Ribble Valley)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Ribble Valley constituency, the effects on Ribble Valley of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [157843]

Mr. Timms: Ribble Valley, along with the rest of the United Kingdom, is benefiting from the long-term action we have taken to build economic stability and secure high and stable levels of growth and employment. Since the general election, claimant unemployment in the constituency has fallen by 436, or 45 per cent., youth unemployment is down by 77 per cent., and long-term unemployment has fallen by 70 per cent.

Macro-economic stability is being complemented at the micro-economic level by the Government's policies to ease the transition from welfare into work and to make work pay. To the end of January 2001, the new deal for 18-24 year olds had helped 215 young people in Ribble Valley constituency gain valuable skills and experience--114 (53 per cent.) of whom had moved into employment. The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), introduced in

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October 1999, is helping to make work pay for low and middle-income families. In August 2000, 1,400 families in the constituency were benefiting from WFTC.

The Government are also committed to policies that enable pensioners to share in the country's rising prosperity. All pensioners, including 18,800 in Ribble Valley, will receive an above-inflation increase in the basic state pension from April 2001. Single pensioners will receive an extra £5 a week, and couples will receive an extra £8 a week. All pensioners aged 75 or over have also been entitled to a free TV licence since November 2000--including around 7,500 in Ribble Valley.

Departmental Policies (Tiverton and Honiton)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Tiverton and Honiton constituency, the effects on Tiverton and Honiton of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [157811]

Mr. Timms: Tiverton and Honiton, along with the rest of the United Kingdom, are benefiting from the long-term action we have taken to build economic stability and secure high and stable levels of growth and employment. Since the general election, claimant unemployment in the constituency has fallen by 562, or 39 per cent., youth unemployment is down by 84 per cent., and long-term unemployment has fallen by 73 per cent.

Macro-economic stability is being complemented at the micro-economic level by the Government's policies to ease the transition from welfare into work and to make work pay. To the end of January 2001, the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds had helped 423 young people in Tiverton and Honiton constituency gain valuable skills and experience--236 (56 per cent.) of whom had moved into employment. The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), introduced in October 1999, is helping to make work pay for low and middle income families. In August 2000, 2,100 families in the constituency were benefiting from WFTC.

The Government are also committed to policies that enable pensioners to share in the country's rising prosperity. All pensioners, including 22,500 in Tiverton and Honiton, will receive an above-inflation increase in the basic state pension from April 2001. Single pensioners will receive an extra £5 a week, and couples will receive an extra £8 a week. All pensioners aged 75 or over have also been entitled to a free TV licence since November 2000--including around 9,700 in Tiverton and Honiton.

Foot and Mouth

Mr. Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will permit the early review of the working families tax credit assessments of those affected by foot and mouth disease. [157596]

Dawn Primarolo: Families whose income is affected by the foot and mouth outbreak may be able to take advantage of the working families tax credit by applying to the Inland Revenue. The Tax Credit Office helpline--which can advise on eligibility and issue application forms--can be contacted on 0845 609 5000 in Great Britain and 0845 609 7000 in Northern Ireland.

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Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the operation of the Working Families Tax Credit in relation to small businesses which are suffering a substantial reduction in cash flow as a result of foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement. [157223]

Dawn Primarolo: An employer who does not have enough PAYE tax, National Insurance contributions or student loan deductions out of which to pay the Working Families Tax Credit that is due to an employee can telephone the Inland Revenue Accounts Office to ask for additional funding. We are aware of only one such request to date as a result of cash flow problems arising from foot and mouth disease. The necessary funding was provided in this case.

Motorcycling (VAT)

Mr. Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 2 April 2001, Official Report, column 46W, on motorcycling (VAT), if he will reduce VAT on vital replacement parts for motorcycle helmets and safety clothing worn by motorcyclists, to the lowest applicable rate. [157632]

Dawn Primarolo: Replacement parts for motorcycle helmets and safety clothing worn by motorcyclists are subject to VAT at the standard rate. EU law does not permit a reduced rate for such items.

Epilepsy

Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths from epilepsy were recorded in the periods between (a) 1 November 1999 and 28 February 2001 and (b) 1 November 1997 and 28 February 1999. [157553]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 9 April 2001]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Eddie O'Hara, dated 10 April 2001:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of deaths from epilepsy recorded between (a) 1 November 1999 and 28 February 2001 and (b) 1 November 1997 and 28 February 1999 (157553). I am replying in his absence.

There were 1,144 deaths from epilepsy (classified according to the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision, ICD(9)345) occurring between 1 November 1977 and 28 February 1999. Information is not yet available on the number of deaths that occurred between 1 November 1999 and 28 February 2001. Data based on date of occurrence of death in 2000 will not be available until October 2001.

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