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Road Fuel Testing
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if HM Customs and Excise plans to review its policy on the prosecution of offenders detected by road fuel testing units; [38549]
- (2) what the policy of HM Customs and Excise is in deciding whether an offender detected by a road fuel testing unit should have his seized vehicle restored or the seizure should be maintained. [38550]
Mr. Boateng: HM Customs and Excise have a wide range of sanctions available to deal with offenders detected by road fuel testing units, including prosecution. Customs current vehicle seizure policy in relation to the misuse of rebated fuels takes into account the individual circumstances of each case and seeks to ensure that individuals who are repeatedly detected misusing rebated fuel will not have their vehicle restored. As outlined in the PBR paper "Tackling Indirect Tax Fraud" Customs are currently developing their strategy to tackle oils fraud, and are reviewing the use of all sanctions to ensure that they are used in the most effective way against those engaged in oils fraud.
Nursing Care
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in challenging the decision of
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the London VAT Tribunal in the Kingscrest case on the implementation of free nursing care and the affordability of fee levels; and if he will make a statement. [39444]
Mr. Boateng: The decision of the VAT and Duties Tribunal in the Kingscrest Associates Ltd. and Montecello Ltd. case does not impact upon nursing care.
Customs and Excise's appeal against this tribunal decision was heard by the High Court on 19 February. Whatever the outcome of the appeal, the Government will take steps to ensure that the residents of care homes do not face increased costs as a result of VAT.
Climate Change Levy
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many organisations and companies have elected to pay the climate change levy in euros. [38582]
Mr. Boateng: No organisation or company has elected to pay the climate change levy to HM Customs and Excise in euros.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) for what reasons companies registered under Part B of the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations are ineligible to participate in a climate change agreement; [38592]
- (2) what the reasons are for his decision to impose an Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control Directive criteria for membership of a climate change levy energy efficiency agreement; [38611]
(3) what plans he has to amend the descriptions of energy-intensive installations included in Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 2000; [38578]
(4) for what reasons companies whose business is slaking lime for the purpose of making calcium hydroxide and calcium magnesium hydroxide are ineligible to participate in a climate change agreement. [38591]
Mr. Boateng: Energy intensive installations that are eligible to enter into climate change agreements are those covered by parts A1 and A2 of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (IPPC) (as set out in Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 2000). IPPC covers all the main energy intensive sectors of industry which are subject to international competition. IPPC sites also have to operate in an energy efficient manner; other sites are not subject to this requirement. The decision to use IPPC to define the eligible energy intensive sectors was confirmed following extensive consultation with industry on possible alternatives. The Government are still prepared to consider suggestions for alternative eligibility criteria, but they would have to meet the same conditions as IPPC, which provides a clear rationale, legal certainty, administrative simplicity, and compatibility with EU state aid rules.
LNM
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what sums are owed by companies in the LNM group to HM Customs and Excise; [38705]
- (2) if HM Customs and Excise has imposed penalties or fines on companies in the LNM group for late payment of taxes and duties in the last two years; [38702]
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(3) what his policy is towards the recovery by HM Customs and Excise of taxes and duties owed by the LNM group of companies. [38704]
Mr. Boateng: The tax affairs of companies and of private individuals are confidential, under section 182 of the Finance Act 1989.
LORDS Computer System
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the original target date was for the replacement of the LORDS computer system; what the latest target date is; and if he will make a statement; [38600]
- (2) what the original budget for replacing the LORDS computer system was; what the estimated cost of the project is; and if he will make a statement. [38599]
Mr. Boateng: The replacement of the LORDS computer system for VAT registration is one component of a series of fundamental changes under consideration to the way Customs process applications for all their taxes and duties. The total cost of these changes, which are far wider than a straight replacement for LORDS, would be in the region of £12.6 million. The original target date for implementation of the new computer system was July 2002.
As part of this, a small number of high priority improvements to the LORDS system are planned for delivery in summer 2002. Plans for a full replacement of the LORDS system will be considered in due course as part of Customs' strategic review of their IS projects and priorities.
CCL 100 Forms
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many CCL 100 forms were returned to HM Customs and Excise for the (a) first, (b) second and (c) third quarters of the financial year 2001–2002; how many such forms in each quarter were (i) completed incorrectly and (ii) submitted late; and if he will make a statement. [38580]
Mr. Boateng: Information based on individual calendar quarters is not available because registered businesses submit returns according to the particular stagger of tax period they request. The number of returns received to date for each stagger is as follows:
- Stagger 1 (returns ending in March, June, September and
December—566;
Stagger 2 (returns ending in April, July, October and January)—150;
Stagger 3 (returns ending in May, August, November and February)—102.
HEALTH
NHS Trusts
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts were in debt in (a) 1997 and (b) 2001; and what was the level of debt for each. [16847]
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Mr. Hutton: The information has been placed in the Library.
- Note:
- Changes (in line with best accounting practice) in the accounting and financial reporting arrangements for NHS trusts mean that the figures provided for 1996–97 and 2000–01 are not directly comparable.
Oral Cancer
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of oral cancer were diagnosed in each health authority in England in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [17415]
Yvette Cooper: The number of cases of oral cancer diagnosed in each health authority in England in 1998, the latest year for which figures are available, are shown in the table.
The NHS Cancer Plan, published last year, provides a comprehensive strategy for improving cancer care linking prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and research.
Smoking is implicated in the cause of oral and many other cancers. The NHS Cancer Plan sets out a clear agenda for improving cancer prevention through changes in lifestyle related to smoking and diet. There have already been notable improvements in numbers of people giving up smoking. In 2000–01, over 64,000 people were helped by national health service cessation services to give up smoking.
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