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Golden Jubilee

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister what events he is planning to attend as part of the golden jubilee celebrations; and what events his Department is planning to arrange to celebrate the golden jubilee. [33243]

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The Prime Minister: As present, I expect to attend the following events:

29 April—Hosting a dinner at No. 10 Downing street.


30 April—Session of the Joint Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall at which Her Majesty will address both Houses.


4 June—National thanksgiving service at St. Paul's.


25 July—Opening of the Commonwealth games.


4 August—Closing of the Commonwealth games.

TREASURY

Independent Financial Advisers

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the defined payment system as outlined in the Financial Services Agency's polarisation paper will have on the number of independent financial advisers. [32902]

Ruth Kelly: The FSA consultation paper analyses the likely impact of these proposals on the IFA sector at paragraphs 4.19 to 4.21.

It concludes that the IFA sector would be likely to shrink to some extent. This does not mean that these firms would go out of business, as existing IFA firms who do not want to move to the defined payment system proposed by the FSA would be able to operate as they do now, expect that they would not be able to hold themselves out as independent. This outcome also needs to be seen in the context of the current market where 80 per cent. of mass market consumers buying packaged products use the non-IFA or tied sector. These consumers should benefit from increased choice under the FSA's proposals.

The FSA consultation exercise closes on 19 April.

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his Department's total expenditure by month in each financial year since 1997–98. [32802]

Ruth Kelly: Monthly figures for all Departments could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the Treasury has published full, financial year outturns for the years 1997–98 to 1999–2000 in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm 5101). Provisional financial year outturns for 2000–01 have been published in Public Expenditure 2000–01 Provisional Outturn (Cm 5243).

NDPBs (Payments)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the instances in which his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2000–01. [32039]

Ruth Kelly: The bodies the Chancellor is responsible for have paid the following percentages of invoices within 30 days or within contractual arrangements.

HM Treasury 99.09 per cent.; National Investment and Loans Office 100 per cent.; Department of National Savings 99.6 per cent.; Inland Revenue 98.65 per cent.; HM Customs and Excise 97.36 per cent.; and Royal Mint 95 per cent.

More detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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Tax Returns

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households completed neither a tax return nor a tax credit claim form in (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01. [32868]

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue does not hold return information by household.

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the concession under which the penalty for not submitting a return on time will not be charged if the Revenue reject a return as incomplete and the taxpayer returns it within 14 days will apply this year; and what the statutory authority is that allows the Revenue to reject a return in such circumstances. [32736]

Dawn Primarolo: Section 8 of the Taxes Management Act 1970 requires a person who is given a notice to make and deliver a return containing such information as may reasonably be required in the pursuance of the notice. The Inland Revenue will reject a return if it fails to satisfy the requirements of section 8.

The term "incomplete" had the potential to be misleading and the Inland Revenue now refers to such rejected returns as "unsatisfactory".

The 14 day period of grace will apply this year if a return received before the filing date is sent back to someone who has genuinely forgotten something, such as signing the return. The 14 day period of grace will not be given in cases where it appears a delaying tactic is being employed.

A detailed explanation of the position was given in Inland Revenue Tax Bulletin 53.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the (a) full and (b) partial regulatory impact assessments published in respect of the proposed change in the tax system since May 1997. [32926]

Dawn Primarolo: All full and partial regulatory impact assessments are published on the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise internet sites. Copies of full regulatory impact assessments are also available in the House of Commons Library.

Income Tax

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people (a) only paid tax at the rate of 10p in the pound and (b) would have done so if they had not claimed the children's tax credit in 2000–01. [32867]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to "Inland Revenue Statistics" table 2.1, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The latest version can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website http:// www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/it_t01_1.htm.

The children's tax credit was introduced in 2001–02.

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the yield would be of increasing (a) the higher rate and (b) the standard rate of income tax by 1p. [32866]

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Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to table 4 in the "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Relief" published in November 2001, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.

Capital Gains Tax

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the capital gains tax rate would be if the current yield was maintained but taper relief was abolished. [32864]

Dawn Primarolo: There is no separate capital gains tax rate. Capital gains are taxed on individuals using the income tax savings rates: 10 per cent., 20 per cent. and 40 per cent. The rate depends on how far the individual's income has used up the starting and basic rate bands. A rate of 34 per cent. applies to trusts.

The cost of taper relief for 2001–02, the latest available year, is £580 million.

Assuming an across the board cut in tax rates applicable to capital gains and ignoring behavioural changes, the relevant tax rates applied to individuals would be 7.4 per cent., 14.8 per cent. and 29.6 per cent. The rate for trusts would be 25.2 per cent.

Parliamentary Questions

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the question from the hon. Member for Tiverton and Honiton (ref 27653) of 10 January, on gross receipts of the windfall tax on Railtrack. [32950]

Mr. Andrew Smith: I replied to the hon. Lady's question on 31 January 2002, Official Report, column 516W.

Beer Duty

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a progressive beer duty to assist small-scale brewers. [31310]

Mr. Boateng: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk) on 13 December 2001, Official Report, column 1003W.

Tax Credits

Alan Keen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the most recent quarterly statistical returns are of the number of awards for (a) working families tax credit, (b) disabled persons tax credit and (c) children's tax credit for (i) the constituency of Brentford and Isleworth and (ii) the constituency of Feltham and Heston. [31311]

Dawn Primarolo: For (a) and (b), I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn) on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 293W.

Information about the children's tax credit is not available by constituency. However, the number of families who are eligible for the CTC in London is estimated to be 475,000.

Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families eligible for receipt of the child tax credit have yet to claim their entitlement. [33012]

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Dawn Primarolo: I refer to the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 4 December 2001, Official Report, column 203W.

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