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31 Oct 2002 : Column 991W—continued
Self-loading Lorries
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the maximum (a) length and (b) load is of lorries with on-board, self-loading crane equipment under the Construction and Use Regulations. [78817]
Mr. Jamieson: The maximum overall length of a lorry or combination of lorry and trailer is set out in the table. Where a self-loading crane is fitted, it is exempt from the calculation of overall length if attached at the rear of the lorry or at the rear of the combination of lorry and trailer. In all other cases it is included in the calculation of overall length.
The maximum gross weight that these vehicles may operate at is set out in the table. The limits are contained in the Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998 and are dependent on the vehicles type and configuration.
| Vehicle type | Maximum overall length (metres) | Maximum weight (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 axle rigid | 12 | 18 |
| 3 axle rigid | 12 | 25/(27) 26 |
| 4 axle rigid | 12 | 30/(27) 32 |
| 3 axle articulated | 16.5 | 26 |
| 4 axle articulated | 16.5 | (27) 38 |
| 5 axle articulated | 16.5 | 40 |
| 6 axle articulated | 16.5 | (27) 44 |
| 3 axle road train (rigid vehicle towing a draw bar trailer) | 18.75 | 26 |
| 4 axle road train | 18.75 | 26 |
| 5 axle road train | 18.75 | (27) 40 |
| 6 axle road train | 18.75 | (27) 44 |
(27) Subject to certain suspension/tyre/axle load requirements being met.
TREASURY
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many PFI and PPP schemes have been (a) completed and (b) signed in (i) each of the regions of England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales, broken down by department. [75854]
Mr. Boateng: A region-by-region breakdown of the number and total capital value of English PFI and PPP projects, both signed and completed, will be published in a series of forthcoming Treasury publications, entitled"Public Private Partnerships: helping to deliver public services". One such booklet is being prepared for each English region. The booklets will be published by 30 November 2002, and copies will be deposited in the House of Commons Library.
The number and capital value of both signed and completed Scottish PFI projects, along with a departmental breakdown, is published by the Scottish Executive on their website. (The number of projects signed and completed is listed at http://
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www.scotland.gov.uk/pfi/facts-01 .asp, while a department-by-departmentlist is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pfi/projectjist.xls.)
A list of Welsh PFI and PPP projects, both completed deals and deals in procurement, including capital values, is published by the National Assembly for Wales on their website. (This can be found at http://www.pfu.wales.gov.uk/scripts/pfilist.asp.)
Departmental Job Vacancies
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many non-devolved posts were advertised in the press in each year since June 1999; and what percentage of them were advertised in the Scottish press. [76854]
Ruth Kelly [holding answer 24 October 2002]: The information for HM Treasury is as follows:
Information on the number of posts advertised in 1999 is unavailable. Between January 2000 and October 2002, a total of 296 Xnon-devolved" posts were advertised by HM Treasury in the national press and specialist publications where appropriate. Since 2001 adverts have also been placed on the HM Treasury website. None of the posts were advertised in the Scottish press.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| January-December 2000 | 71 |
| January-December 2001 | 159 |
| January-October 2002 | 66 |
| Total | 296 |
Economic Cycle
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the duration of the current economic cycle. [77886]
Ruth Kelly: Budget 2002 (HC 592) included an assessment of cyclical developments, in particular on pages 26 and 190–93.
EU Budget
Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate EU member states' contributions to the EU budget in terms of (a) net contributions and (b) per capita contributions since the United Kingdom joined the EU. [77651]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested, for the period 1976 to 2001, is set out in the tables, copies of which will be placed in the Library. These tables are shown in million euro (net contributions) and euro (net contributions per capita). Information on member states net positions for the period 1973 to 1975 is not available.
EU Structural and Cohesion Funds
Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the annual UK receipts from European Community Structural and Cohesion Funds from 1995 and the projected receipts for 2003 and 2004. [77650]
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Ruth Kelly: Details of UK receipts from Structural Operations for the period 1995–96 to 2001–02 are set out in the table.
| Year | # billion |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 1.136 |
| 1996–97 | 1.392 |
| 1997–98 | 1.558 |
| 1998–99 | 0.912 |
| 1999–2000 | 1.213 |
| 2000–01 | 1.444 |
| 2001–02 | 0.664 |
Latest forecasts of receipts from Structural Operations for the period 2002–03 to 2004–05 are as follows.
| Year | # billion |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 1.3 |
| 2003–04 | 1.7 |
| 2004–05 | 1.5 |
Health Care Charges
Stephen Hesford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of health care systems funded by charges and private medical insurance; and if he will make a statement. [78071]
Mr. Boateng: Detailed information on alternative systems for financing health care was published as part of the results of the review carried out by Derek Wanless on long term trends affecting the health service in the UK.
In presenting this year's budget to Parliament, the Chancellor set out the Government's view that Xthe NHS system of funding is not just the most equitable but that a reformed NHS, by offering the most comprehensive insurance policy to meet the rising costs from medical advances, can give British people the greater security they need".
Income Tax Revenue
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total income tax revenue was in each year since 1997. [78837]
Dawn Primarolo: The latest figures are contained in Table 1.2 on Inland Revenue's website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/tax—receipts/menu.htm
Pensions
Mr. Nigel Waterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of people reaching retirement age in each of the last 10 years had private self-employed pensions; [77887]
- (2) how many holders of private pension funds have taken tax-free lump sums in each of the last 10 years; [77888]
(3) how many people contributed to private self-employed pension funds in each of the last 10 years. [77890]
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Ruth Kelly: Available information that can be provided without disproportionate cost is in the table.
| Year | Number of self-employed contributors to private pension funds (000)(28) |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 1,620 |
| 1997–98 | 1,630 |
| 1998–99 | 1,560 |
| 1999–2000 | 1,560 |
| 2000–01 | 1,480 |
(28) Estimates are based on the surveys of personal incomes 1996–97 to 2000–01 and include contributors to both Personal Pensions and Retirement Annuity Contracts.
Performance Targets
Tony Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what source data was used to support the statistic cited in his Department's 2002 departmental report that 87 per cent. of main departments' performance targets had been met or partially met by 2002. [78139]
Mr. Boateng: The figure was based on departments' assessments of their performance against their targets, as published in departmental reports.
Personal Pensions
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what protections exist under the FSA review of personal pension sales in circumstances where a financial loss was recompensed through augmentation of an investor's policy and that policy has subsequently had (a) a market value adjustment reduction applied and (b) a transfer or exit penalty applied. [77882]
Ruth Kelly: The aim of the pensions review is to provide adequate compensation (where it is due) to investors, at the time of the review. In this respect, the pensions review seeks to replicate the approach a court of law would take to working out compensation when dealing with a claim for damages.
If a firm has provided adequate compensation to an investor, in accordance with the regulatory requirements, any subsequent gains or losses that occur fall outside the scope of the review as the firm would have fulfilled its obligations under the review.
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance and regulations the Financial Services Authority has issued to personal pension providers under the FSA review of personal pension sales in circumstances where a guarantee of a future calculation of possible financial loss has been favoured over immediate financial recompense being made to a policyholder, with respect to (a) calculation and payment of transfer values in respect of a guaranteed policy and (b) reflection of such guaranteed liabilities by personal pension providers for (i) accounting, (ii) financial statement and (iii) regulatory purposes. [77883]
Ruth Kelly: A benefit guarantee is a guarantee by a life office to an investor to mirror or provide benefits of equivalent value to those that the investor would have had in the occupational scheme, which he opted out of
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or failed to join. Benefits become payable when an investor dies, retires, or transfers the pension to another company.
In respect of (a), investors who wish to transfer their policy away from the firm must be provided with a full transfer value quotation, which fairly reflects the presence of the guarantee.
In respect of (b), (i) and (ii), there is no guidance which requires firms to reflect their guarantee liabilities separately in their accounts or financial statements. Instead, when reporting their entire pensions review provisions firms will include their guarantee liabilities. In respect of (b) (iii), a firm must give an undertaking to the FSA that its reserving basis for the guarantee is adequate, does not compromise its solvency position and will conform with the requirements of its prudential regulator. The Government Actuary issued guidance to appointed actuaries on the reserving implications of guaranteeing pension benefits linked to individual salaries. This guidance is incorporated within Volume Three of the IPRU (INS) rulebook under the heading DAA9.
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