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Births, Marriages and Deaths

Ms Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has to put on-line the registration of births, marriages and deaths. [50531]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Ms Joan Walley, dated 15 April 2002:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question concerning what plans there are to put on-line the registration of births, marriages and deaths. (50531)

The Government's proposals for modernising civil registration in England and Wales are contained in the White Paper "Civil Registration: Vital Change" published on 22 January 2002, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Minimum Wage

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employers have been detected paying less than national minimum wage in the last three months; and what action has been taken. [45041]

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue have detected 471 non-compliant employers in the last three months, with the total amount of wages arrears identified being £2,734,000.

In the same period, 25 enforcement notices and eight penalty notices have been served on employers. There have been four cases taken by the Inland Revenue to employment tribunal on behalf of workers, with a successful outcome in each instance.

Afghanistan

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have been held with the multi- lateral creditors regarding multi-lateral debt relief for Afghanistan. [48769]

Mr. Boateng: No discussions have been held so far.

Child Care Tax Credit

Andrew Selous: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the eligibility for the child care tax credit. [45034]

15 Apr 2002 : Column 772W

Dawn Primarolo: The eligibility criteria for the child care tax credit are kept under constant review.

Pensions

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average impact on the Exchequer over the course of the last 10 years of each tranche of one thousand persons contracting into SERPS/state second pension from a personal or occupational pension. [44682]

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.

The information is in the table:

£ million

Year	Amount
1991–92	0.6
1992–93	0.6
1993–94	0.6
1994–95	0.5
1995–96	0.6
1996–67	0.6
1997–98	0.6
1998–99	0.6
1999–2000	0.6
2000–01	0.5

Note:

The figures show the increase in national insurance contributions that would result from 1,000 people rejoining SERPS in each of the last 10 years. They have been calculated on the assumption that their arrangements are broadly representative of all people contracted out, in terms of age, earnings and type of contracted-out arrangement.

Source:

Government Actuary's Department

Departmental Report

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the 2002 departmental report will be published. [49591]

Mr. Andrew Smith: The 2002 departmental reports will be published in spring 2002. The dates will be announced shortly.

Small Businesses (Taxation)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was paid in direct and indirect taxation by companies with (a) fewer than 200 employees and (b) fewer than 100 employees in each of the last 10 years. [49486]

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Public-Private Partnership with Siemens Business Services for the Department of National Savings by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative. [49503]

Mr. Andrew Smith: The Public Private Partnership with Siemens Business Services (SBS) delivers full operational service to National Savings and Investments (NS&I) and its customers.

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The cost of delivery of the operational service from SBS is at least £157 million less than the public sector comparator, assuming the contract runs for its 15 year life.

The finances were clearly set out in the contract. NS&I expenditure on this contract remains as originally negotiated and reported to the PAC.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Private Finance Initiative projects have been subject to refinancing after the contracts have been signed; and what has been the financial effect in each case. [50278]

Mr. Andrew Smith: Comprehensive records of refinanced PFI contracts are not held centrally. No Treasury PFI projects have been refinanced.

PRIME MINISTER

Performance Targets

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister what new initiatives his office has taken in 2001–02 to assist in achieving its public service agreement targets. [47188]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 12 April 2002.

Appointments

Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if hon. Members have been appointed to task forces and other ad hoc advisory bodies created by the Government since 1997. [49729]

The Prime Minister: Individuals are invited to join task forces and reviews solely on the basis of the knowledge, experience and expertise they are able to bring.

Governments have always taken advice from a number of sources—internal and external. There is nothing to prevent hon. Members being appointed to task forces and other ad hoc advisory groups.

Summary date are recorded and published for each task force and ad hoc group in the Cabinet Office's publication "Taskforces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews". This was last published in October 2001 and copies are available in the House Library. The publication sets out the composition, gives numbers of people by category of appointment, and gives the name of the chairperson. A category in this report shows ministerial membership but no specific data on hon. Members' membership of these groups is held.

Steel Tariffs

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what matters in respect of the United States policy on steel imports were discussed in his meetings with President Bush on 6 to 7 April in Texas. [49264]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Helen Jackson) in the House on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 17.

15 Apr 2002 : Column 774W

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with President Bush during his recent visit about the possible exemption of British steel products from US tariffs; and if he will make a statement. [48930]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Helen Jackson) in the House on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 17.

Israel

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether he discussed Israel's nuclear weapon capability in his meetings with President Bush on 6 - 7 April. [49481]

The Prime Minister: I outlined the issues I discussed with President Bush in my statement to the House on Wednesday 10 April.

Kyoto Protocol

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has raised the United States opposition to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change during meetings and other communications he has had with (a) the United States President and (b) the United States Vice President since 11 September 2001. [49495]

The Prime Minister: I and my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister have raised the US position on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol with President Bush and Vice President Cheney respectively on a number of occasions since 11 September 2001.

Sustainable Development

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister when he established a Cabinet Committee on Sustainable Development; who its members are; and if he will make a statement. [48894]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Watford (Ms Ward) on 7 March, Official Report, column 486W.

Texas Visit

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those persons who accompanied him on his recent trip to Texas other than Ministers, civil servants, journalists and special advisers; and in each case, specify whose costs were met in whole or part from public funds. [48955]

The Prime Minister: I was joined in Texas by members of my family who had been invited by the President and Mrs. Bush. Their participation on the visit was at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

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