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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 20 June 2002
TREASURY
Child Care
11. Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to reduce the tax contribution for private child care providers. [60348]
Dawn Primarolo: Introducing the National Childcare Strategy shows that the Government recognise the importance of good quality affordable child care. We have encouraged and supported private child care provision.
Public Service Agreements
12. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an assessment of the progress made in improving public services through public service agreements. [60349]
Mr. Boateng: Departments publish performance against their public service agreement targets in departmental reports.
Financial Regulation
14. Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new proposals he has to improve the regulation of financial services. [60351]
Ruth Kelly: Since the FSA assumed its statutory powers on 1 December last year, it has been the single authority with responsibility for the regulation of the UK financial services industry, with rule-making powers. By 2004, the FSA will also assume responsibility for the regulation of mortgages and general insurance. The FSA has proposed changes to the polarisation rules that should enhance the benefits of competition and improve access to financial advice for many consumers and is working to ensure that information and disclosure to consumers of endowment mortgages and other financial products is improved.
Bingo
15. Gillian Merron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he will ensure that bingo players benefit from the proposed extension of the betting and pools tax regime. [60352]
John Healey: We will do so precisely in the way we did when reforming the betting and pools tax regimes, by working with the bingo companies to produce a new system of taxation which boosts growth, secures duty revenues, and benefits bingo players.
European Union
16. Michael Fabricant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department has analysed the annual fund
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flows into the United Kingdom deriving from membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [60353]
Ruth Kelly: HM Treasury officials continually monitor UK public sector receipts from the EC Budget, and an analysis is published in the annual White Paper on European Community Finances.
Venture Capital
17. Mr. Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Treasury is doing to ensure the availability of venture capital in all parts of the UK. [60354]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government are committed to increasing the supply of risk capital for businesses throughout the UK. Backed by up to £80 million of Government support, regional venture capital funds will provide up to £270 million of investment in small businesses with growth potential across England. The devolved Administrations have similar public/private equity schemes. The Government have also invested £20 million in a £40 million community development venture fund focused on the most deprived wards in England.
Small Businesses
18. Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from small business representatives about taxation. [60356]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government have received a number of representations from a variety of organisations.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what bilateral discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry regarding new taxes and regulations imposed on small businesses. [63083]
Dawn Primarolo: The Chancellor meets regularly with Cabinet colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
Since 1997 the Government have introduced numerous measures to help small business, including:
- making 40 per cent. first year capital allowances permanent;
implementing the recommendations of the Carter Review of Payroll Services;
cutting the small companies' rate of corporation tax from 23 per cent. to just 19 per cent. and reducing the 10 per cent. starting rate to zero;
introducing a 10p starting rate of income tax; and
introducing measures to ease the impact of VAT on small business.
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Debt Cancellation
19. Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about his policy towards the cancellation of the poorest countries' debts. [60357]
20. Mr. Luke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on his policy towards the cancellation of debt in the world's poorest countries. [60358]
John Healey: The Chancellor argued strongly for the further progress on debt that was made at the G7 meeting in Halifax, Canada, this weekend. The decision to complete the financing of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) trust fund will allow a further $1 billion (£677 million) of debt to be written off from the poorest countries' balance sheets.
That will help them adjust to the impact of the world economic slow down following the tragic events of September 11 and the collapse in commodity prices.
Under its 100 per cent. policy, the UK is already providing total debt relief to all eligible countries under the HIPC initiative and continues to use every opportunity to press other countries to do likewise.
Manufacturing
21. Mr. Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what rate UK manufacturing industry productivity has changed since 1997. [60359]
John Healey: UK manufacturing productivity growth has averaged 2.6 per cent. a year since 1997. The Government are aiming to deliver conditions for improved productivity performance over the long term, and to that end have introduced a range of policies to promote competition, and raise investment, innovation and skills.
35. Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the impact of the recent slow down in the eurozone economy on manufacturing industry in the south-west of England. [60374]
Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor and other Treasury Ministers regularly meet with manufacturing representatives from all regions and countries of the UK, including the south-west. These discussions cover a wide range of issues and the Government value the insights gained.
Customs and Excise
22. Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the deployment of HM Customs and Excise resources in remote coastal communities. [60360]
John Healey: Customs' resources, including its modern cutter fleet, are deployed flexibly around the UK coast on an intelligence-led basis to address smuggling threats. 16 people were sentenced to over 200 years in jail recently for trying to bring cocaine into the UK in yachts.
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers are under suspension; in which regions of the country they are employed; what reasons led to their suspension; and if he will make a statement. [61337]
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John Healey [holding answer 17 June 2002]: The total number of Customs and Excise officers suspended as at 16 June 2002 is 12. Seven are employed in the north of England, three in London, and two in the south of England. All involve allegations of potential gross misconduct, which if proved may result in dismissal.
It is Customs and Excise policy that suspension is normally only imposed in the most serious cases, when it is necessary and in the public interest. Suspension is always without prejudice, and does not anticipate any decision about the allegations made.
Further Education
23. Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Department for Education and Skills on his plans to give financial support to 16 to 18-year-olds in further education. [60361]
Mr. Boateng: The Chancellor and other Treasury Ministers have regular discussions with the Department for Education and Skills.
Climate Change Levy
24. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the climate change levy on those industries unable to qualify for rebates. [60362]
John Healey: All of the revenue from the climate change levy is recycled back to business through NICs cuts and support for energy efficiency. While the levy package is broadly revenue neutral to business as a whole, the effects on any specific sector will depend on a number of factors, including:
- The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
Employment levels in those sectors and the benefits received from the levy funded national insurance contribution cuts.
What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy-exempt renewable sources of energy and combined heat and power.
John Healey: As part of the normal process of contact with business, the Chancellor and the Treasury ministerial team have met a variety of business organisations and individual companies, and have heard a variety of representations on climate change levy, and on other matters.
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