| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
NIRS2
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent so far on rectifying the problems with the NIRS2 computer system, broken down by year. [35286]
Dawn Primarolo: Payments for the NIRS2 computer system have been made in accordance with the contract. This includes any reduction attributable to service failure. No additional charges have been incurred for rectifying problems with NIRS2.
Share Option Taxation
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the changes made to the taxation of share options since 1 May 1997. [32927]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 4 February 2002]: Employee share schemes are at the centre of the Government's productivity and enterprise agenda. Since 1 May 1997 we have made the following changes to encourage greater use of share schemes and to ensure flexibility and fairness in the tax treatment of employee share options.
- Finance Act 1998: extension of the definition of "long options" from seven to 10 years.
6 April 1999: alignment of national insurance treatment of share options with the PAYE rules. The Social Security Act 1998 introduced an amendment to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.
13 Feb 2002 : Column 375W
Finance Act 2000: introduction of Enterprise Management Incentives to help small companies recruit and retain the staff they need to grow.
28 July 2000: introduction of a concession to allow employers to agree with their employee option holders that the latter would bear the whole or part of the employer's national insurance charge on exercise of their options. The Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000.
Finance Act 2001: improvements to the Enterprise Management Incentives.
From 11 May 2001: a further concession to allow companies which had granted options between April 1999 and May 2000 to cap their NIC liabilities. The Social Security Contributions (Share Options) Act 2001.
1 January 2002: Statutory Instrument 3799/2001 doubled the gross asset test for companies to qualify for Enterprise Management Incentives from £15 million to £30 million.
Millionaires
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of millionaires in the UK in each year since 1990. [34569]
Dawn Primarolo: The available information is as follows:
| Thousand | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 80 |
| 1996 | 100 |
| 1997 | 140 |
| 1998 | (5)160 |
| 1999 | (5)180 |
(5) Provisional
The figures are based on marketable wealth and include all assets but exclude occupational and state pension rights.
Means-tested Benefits
Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of people in receipt of a means-tested benefit also paid tax in each of the last six years. [20455]
Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
The available information is in the table.
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 31 |
| 1996–97 | 32 |
| 1997–98 | 28 |
| 1998–99 | 28 |
| 1999–2000 | 24 |
Notes:
1. These estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors for region, council tax band and a number of demographic variables. Estimates are subject to sampling error and variability because of non-respondents.
2. The means tested benefits included in the table are income support, jobseeker's allowance (income based), housing benefit, council tax benefit, family credit (working families tax credit from October 1999), and disability working allowance (disabled persons tax credit from October 1999).
3. Information is not yet available for 2000–01.
Source:
Family Resources Survey
13 Feb 2002 : Column 376W
TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
THE REGIONS
Train Routes (London)
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action is being taken to encourage local authorities in partnership with business operators and Transport for London to develop proposals for new train routes. [27706]
Mr. Jamieson: Responsibility for developing proposals for new train routes rests with the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London. Local authorities, business operators and other interests are consulted in that process.
Bus and Rail Integration
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy to allow bus companies to co-ordinate their services to improve integration of bus services with rail services. [28130]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 17 January 2002]: A number of operators already provide co-ordinated bus services that connect with rail services, and offer through tickets to cover the combined bus and rail journey. This is something that we wish to encourage and I understand from the Office of Fair Trading that there is no reason under competition legislation why a bus operator should not schedule its services so as to co-ordinate with train timings.
The Government are committed to delivering better integration between different modes of transport in order to ensure long-term improvements for the travelling public. We expect to see further progress towards integration between modes as a result of the increased investment provided under our 10-year plan for transport.
Central Railway
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Strategic Rail Authority's conclusions of its high-level review of the Central Railway Company's proposals. [29238]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 21 January 2002]: The Strategic Rail Authority's view is currently being considered by Ministers.
Railtrack
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will list the people working on the development of a company limited by guarantee to bid for Railtrack; [30234]
- (2) what professional advisers have been recruited to advise the team developing the company limited by guarantee to bid for Railtrack; and on what terms. [30233]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is funding the bid costs of CLG team and their advisers. These include Ian McAllister, Adrian Montague and Iain Coucher, UBS Warburg, Linklaters and Alliance, Jarvis Rail and Arup. The bid team will draw on other expertise and advice as it deems necessary.
13 Feb 2002 : Column 377W
Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on compensation for Railtrack shareholders, indicating how much compensation will be paid and when payment will be made. [34430]
Mr. Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30 January 2002 to the hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Page), Official Report, columns 320–21W. The timing of any payment would form part of the arrangements for ending administration.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether it is his policy that Railtrack and its successor will have to operate within existing budgets established for Control Period 2. [35797]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport on 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 861W.
Plymouth-London Rail Service
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority about making a three-hour journey time between Plymouth and London a strategic objective within the 10-year plan. [30710]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority's strategic plan sets out how it will deliver the key rail targets as set out in the Government's 10-year plan. Schemes that will benefit the south-west can be found on the SRA website at www.sra.gov.uk.
Transport Statistics (Deaths)
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the statistics for death for each mode of transport for (a) the EU and (b) this country measured by (i) distance covered and (ii) time spent travelling (A) now, (B) five years ago and (C) 10 years ago. [32073]
Mr. Jamieson: The information is not readily available in the form requested. Some information is available on fatality rates per passenger kilometre. Figures for GB are published in the 'Transport Statistics Great Britain' series. Figures for the EU are published in the 'EU Energy and Transport Figures, Statistical Pocketbook' series. However different definitions and methodologies may mean that they are not directly comparable.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |