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Tax Credits (Fraud)

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown of the type of sentences imposed on persons convicted of working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit fraud. [25023]

Dawn Primarolo: From the introduction of tax credits in October 1999 up until 31 December 2001, 28 people have been prosecuted for making incorrect applications for working families tax credit. The table lists the type and number of different sentences imposed on those people. Some prosecutions involved people having more

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than one sentence imposed upon them. To date, no prosecutions have been brought against anyone applying for disabled person's tax credit.

Type of sentence imposed	Number of sentences imposed
Fines	12
Conditional discharge	7
Community Service	6
Rehabilitation Order	1
Community Punishment Orders	1
Trial Continues	2
In custody awaiting sentence	1
Custodial Sentence	7
Total	37

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions of working families tax credit and disabled persons tax credit fraud have led to (a) summary trial and (b) trial on indictment in each year since the WFTC and DPTC commenced. [25021]

Dawn Primarolo: The table shows the number of working families tax credit (WFTC) prosecutions since its introduction in October 1999. To date, there have not been any prosecutions for disabled person's tax credit. Of the 28 WFTC prosecutions heard up to 31 December 2001, 26 were summary prosecutions and two were trials on indictment. Both trials on indictment were heard in 2001.

Period	Number of prosecutions (WFTC)
October 1999 to March 2000	0
April 2000 to March 2001	12
April 2001 to December 2001	16

Benefits

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households are in receipt of housing benefit or working families tax credit; and what the estimated annual saving to the Exchequer in payment of housing benefit and WFTC would be from a 1 per cent. cut in the basic rate of tax. [26216]

Dawn Primarolo: It is estimated that at May 2000 there were about five million recipients of housing benefit (HB) or working families tax credit (WFTC) in the United Kingdom.

It is estimated that, in a full year, a 1 per cent. cut in the basic rate of income tax lead to a direct reduction of about £40 million in expenditure on HB and WFTC.

Railtrack

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the gross receipts to the Treasury were of the windfall tax levied on Railtrack in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998. [27653]

Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 15 January 2002]: As provided for under Exemption 15 (Statutory and other restrictions) of the Code of Practice on Access

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to Government Information, the Inland Revenue does not disclose the tax paid by an individual or corporate taxpayer.

Equitable Life

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what timetable is envisaged for the completion and publication of the Penrose investigation into the origins of the problems surrounding Equitable Life. [31813]

Ruth Kelly: The timetable for the completion of the Penrose inquiry is a matter for Lord Penrose. The scope of the inquiry is broad and there is a large amount of evidence to gather and consider.

Correspondence

Mr. Gale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for North Thanet on 7 January concerning the right to buy tobacco and alcohol abroad in the EU; what response his Department has made to the letter of formal notice sent by the EU Commission to the Government of the United Kingdom commencing infringement proceedings under Article 226 of the relevant EU directive; and if he will place a copy of that response in the Library. [31882]

Mr. Boateng: I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 30 January.

Community Sport

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to announce the conclusion of the consultation 'Promoting Sport in the Community'; and if he will make a statement. [31168]

Mr. Boateng: Responses to the 'Promoting Sport in the Community' consultation document have been requested by 1 February 2002. Decisions will be made as part of the normal Budget process.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received supporting the option of a separate package of Inland Revenue tax relief for community amateur sports clubs; and if he will make a statement. [31167]

Mr. Boateng: A number of responses to the "Promoting Sport in the Community" consultation document have been received and consultation continues until 1 February 2002.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport about the consultation document "Promoting Sport in the Community". [31171]

Mr. Boateng: The Treasury is in regular dialogue with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to change the tax position of community amateur sports clubs; and if he will make a statement. [31170]

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Mr. Boateng: A consultation document "Promoting Sport in the Community" was launched on 30 November 2001. It seeks views on the best way to support community amateur sports clubs that make a positive contribution to their local communities.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the financial support from Government to community amateur sports clubs in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02; what he estimates it will be in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [31169]

Mr. Boateng: The Government recognise the positive contribution community amateur sports clubs (CASCs) make to their local communities. The consultation document "Promoting Sport in the Community" seeks views from interested parties before finalising decisions on the best way to support CASCs. Copies of the consultation document can be found in the House Library.

Drug Trafficking

Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of staffing levels of customs officials at major airports, with particular reference to cases where immigration staff report suspected drug trafficking. [31148]

Mr. Boateng: Major airports are resourced by Customs in line with identified risks. Referrals from immigration are always acted upon by Customs, where there are sufficient grounds.

Government Assets

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of assets that have been sold by (a) Customs and Excise, (b) the Inland Revenue and (c) National Savings in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement. [31150]

Mr. Andrew Smith: The National Asset Register (July 2001, Cm 5318) provides a list of all significant asset disposals by central Government Departments and their sponsored bodies between April 1997 and March 2000.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the basis is for the statement in paragraph 6.23 of Cm 5318 that the National Asset Register for the first time provides a complete list of the main assets held by central Government and their value; and if he will make a statement. [31184]

Mr. Andrew Smith: Reality—this is the first time a comprehensive list with asset values has been published.

Rent Rebate Subsidy Expenditure (Scotland)

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what formula is in place to vary the level of the Scottish Consolidated Fund to account for additional housing benefit costs as a result of disproportionate variances in rent levels by local authorities; what adjustments have been made to the Scottish Consolidated Fund and the Scottish Block Grant in each of the past five years in respect of this formula; what discussions have taken place with the Scottish Executive on this matter; and what was the outcome of these discussions. [31497]

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Mr. Andrew Smith: The Statement of Funding Policy, published by the Treasury in July 2000, states that if in Scotland the actual cost of rent rebate subsidy expenditure changes at a disproportionate rate relative to changes in England, then appropriate balancing adjustments are made to the Scottish departmental expenditure limit. Details of such adjustments will be given in announcements of changes to the Scottish DEL made from time to time by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Discussions are taking place between the Treasury and the Scottish Executive on this issue.

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