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Police Service
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on maternity leave, maternity support leave, parental leave and adoption leave in the Police Service. [44041]
Mr. Denham: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has approved an agreement reached in the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) granting improved maternity leave to policewomen in England and Wales. The PNB Agreement also creates new rights for police officers to maternity support leave, adoption leave and to time off to care for dependants. The full details of the agreement are set out in Home Office Circular hoc 12–2002 that has been placed in the Library.
- enabling policewomen to take split periods of maternity leave before and after childbirth;
giving police officers with responsibility for a child an entitlement to 13 weeks leave in respect of each child up to the age of five, with an entitlement to buy back, for pension purposes, reckonable service for any period taken as parental leave;
replacing the current two day paternity leave provision with an entitlement to five days paid maternity support leave for the child's father or partner or nominated carer of the expectant mother;
giving police officers five days adoption leave at or around the time of adoption; and
giving police officers an entitlement to paid leave, normally one or two days, to cope with short-term difficulties.
Speed Cameras
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements he sets for the conspicuity of speed cameras. [42510]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
New visibility rules for those areas participating in the safety camera netting off scheme were announced on 3 December 2001. These state that fixed site camera housings should be clearly signed and made visible by being painted or marked in yellow. Mobile enforcement units should also be clearly marked and visible to drivers. Areas currently outside the netting off scheme would need to comply with all the visibility requirements as a condition of joining.
Press Releases
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press releases were issued by his Department (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive. [40035]
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Angela Eagle: The number of press releases issued by the Department was:
| 1997(9) | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Office | 271 | 512 | 450 | 422 | 336 |
| Prison service | 67(10) | 75 | 78 | 93 | 91 |
| Probation inspectorate | 2 | 3 | — | 11 | 14 |
| Prisons inspectorate | — | 7 | 39 | 38 | 59 |
| Police inspectorate | — | — | — | 1 | 2 |
| Fire inspectorate | 1 | — | — | — | 3 |
(9) 1 May to 31 December 1997
(10) Figure is for the full year.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance he gives to the funeral costs of asylum seekers; and how those funeral costs are met. [40565]
Angela Eagle: The Home Office does not give any assistance towards meeting the funeral costs of asylum seekers.
TREASURY
Climate Change Levy
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net saving in public expenditure that will be made in 2001–02 due to the public sector's reduced liability for national insurance contributions following the rebates associated with the climate change levy. [41828]
Mr. Boateng: The levy package is expected to lead to little change to the overall public finances in 2001–02. An estimate of the impact of the climate change levy package on the public finances was published by HM Customs and Excise in the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the levy in April 2000 including national insurance implications for public sector employees. Subsequently in Budget 2001 the Government revised the estimate of the cost of the enhanced capital allowances for investments in energy-saving measures from its previous figure of £100 million per year to £70 million for 2001–02 and £130 million for 2002–03.
Corporation Tax
Mr. Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what annual tax revenues resulted from receipts under the I-E formula in (a) 1997 and (b) each subsequent financial year to date. [42494]
Dawn Primarolo: Companies' corporation tax liabilities are based on their whole profits less any tax reliefs and deductions. Receipts are not attributed to specific parts of the tax calculation. Therefore, no reliable figures are available on the tax revenues generated by the I-E formula.
Capital Assets
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2001, Official Report, column 889W, on capital assets, on what occasions since 1997 the accounting treatment of a PPP
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in the departmental accounts has differed from the accounting treatment in the national accounts; and if he will make a statement. [42499]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Matthew Taylor, dated 14 March 2002:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on capital assets. (42499)
- There have been no differences because, as explained in my earlier reply, national accounts follow the treatment decided by departments on the basis of generally accepted accounting practice.
Earnings
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of 60 per cent. of median earnings (a) in cash terms and (b) at December 2001 prices in each year from 1985. [42623]
Ruth Kelly [holding answer 12 March 2002]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 14 March 2002:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question requesting the value of 60 per cent of median earnings in cash terms and at December 2001 prices. (42623)
- The New Earnings Survey (NES) provides earnings data for Great Britain for full-time employees on adult rates of pay. In the attached table, figures are provided for 60 per cent of median earnings for April of each year from 1986 to 2001, the latest date for which figures are available, given in cash terms and at December 2001 prices.
| 60 per cent. Median Earnings (£) | At December 2001 Prices (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| April 1986 | 98.20 | 174.30 |
| April 1987 | 105.03 | 178.90 |
| April 1988 | 114.85 | 188.24 |
| April 1989 | 125.55 | 190.47 |
| April 1990 | 135.33 | 186.19 |
| April 1991 | 148.21 | 193.09 |
| April 1992 | 158.84 | 198.43 |
| April 1993 | 164.11 | 202.39 |
| April 1994 | 168.63 | 202.78 |
| April 1995 | 174.56 | 203.14 |
| April 1996 | 180.60 | 205.22 |
| April 1997 | 188.92 | 209.58 |
| April 1998 | 196.35 | 209.39 |
| April 1999 | 203.63 | 213.74 |
| April 2000 | 211.90 | 216.01 |
| April 2001 | 222.08 | 222.46 |
Note:
1. Earnings are for full-time employees on adult rates whose pay is unaffected by absence.
Source:
New Earnings Survey, Retail Price Index.
Double Taxation
Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the schedule to a draft Order in Council ratifying the new double taxation convention between the United
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Kingdom and the United States of America will be laid before Parliament; for what reason a draft Order in Council has not been laid before Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [42601]
Dawn Primarolo: We are considering a number of matters relating to the application of the double taxation convention. The intention is to submit the convention to Parliament on completion of these considerations.
Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) other EU member states on the terms of the new double taxation convention agreed between the UK and USA, signed on 24 July 2001; and if he will make a statement. [43085]
Community Investment Tax Credit
Ms Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which projects under the community investment tax credit initiative are ineligible for EC state aid; and if he will make a statement. [43490]
Ruth Kelly: The Government are currently in discussions with the European Commission to assess the compatibility of the community investment tax credit with the state aids rules. These discussions have not yet been concluded.
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