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18 Dec 2002 : Column 815W—continued
TREASURY
Airport Vehicles
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of fuel taxation of land vehicles used solely within the precincts of UK airports. [88081]
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John Healey: Vehicles operating within the confines of an airport are usually unlicensed vehicles not used on public roads. As such, they are entitled to use rebated gas oil (red diesel) as fuel. Rebated gas oil carries a duty rate of 3.13p per litre.
Bioethanol
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2002, Official Report, column 257W, on bioethanol fuel, what research he has published on the effect the level of duty on bioethanol fuel has had on (a) the British sugar industry, (b) British farmers and (c) the manufacturing sector. [87794]
John Healey: We have not published any research on this subject.
Business Support
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2002, Official Report, column 257W, on business support, when he expects the RDA pilots to be completed; and when a decision about the general introduction of RDA-led management and co-ordination of business support will be made. [87785]
John Healey: Pilots of RDA-led management and co-ordination of regional business support are currently in the developmental stage. The Small Business Service (SBS) and HM Treasury are continuing to work closely with RDAs to work up their proposals. An evaluation framework is being designed to capture the key learning points from the pilots. More details on timings will be announced in due course.
Climate Change
David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with manufacturers about the effect of the climate change levy on UK competitiveness. [87672]
John Healey: As part of the normal process of contact with business, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Treasury ministerial team have met a variety of businesses and business organisations and have heard a range of representations. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his answer of 11 February, Official Report, columns 114–15, in line with previous Administrations, it is not this Government's practice to provide details of the meetings they routinely have with a wide range of organisations.
Convergence
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will deposit in the Library the UK's 2002 convergence programme, arising from Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of the Stability and Growth Pact, before 19 December; and if he will make a statement. [87944]
Ruth Kelly: The UK's 2002 convergence programme will be made available to both Houses of Parliament once it is published.
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Customs and Excise
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the government policy on rulings in writing given by Customs and Excise Officers, as set out on 21 July 1978, Official Report, column 426, applies to oral (a) VAT advice obtained by telephone from the Department's National Advice Service and (b) VAT advice obtained from a Customs officer by e-mail; and if he will make a statement. [87625]
John Healey: The policy set out on 21 July 1978, Official Report, columns 426–27, has been expressed in a published concession which provides that:
- If a Customs and Excise officer, with the full facts before him has given a clear and unequivocal ruling on VAT in writing or, knowing the full facts, has misled a registered person to his detriment, any assessment of VAT due will be based on the correct ruling from the date the error was brought to the registered person's attention.
Death Duty
Mr. Wray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to (a) reduce the percentage of death duty paid, and (b) raise the qualifying value of exemption from death duty. [87373]
Dawn Primarolo: The Chancellor considers all taxes as part of his annual Budget judgment.
European Tax Harmonisation
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on Franco-German plans for European tax harmonisation. [87015]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government's view is that fair tax competition is the way forward, not proposals for tax harmonisation. The Government will not support any action at European level that would threaten jobs and investment or damage the competitive position of British business.
HIPC Initiative
Tony Worthington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made to secure the US$1 billion for the HIPC initiative that is not financed; and if he will make a statement. [87571]
John Healey: The UK government have been at the forefront of the international debate on debt relief issues, and continues to press for the rapid and full implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
At the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in June 2002, the UK helped secure agreement for the G7 to fund their share of the financing shortfall in the enhanced HIPC initiative, recognising that it would be up to US$1 billion.
At the annual meetings of the World bank and IMF in September the UK took a strong lead by pledging its share of the funds needed in advance. The development
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committee communiqué welcomed the pledges of support from the UK and others, and called on other countries to make firm pledges as a matter of urgency.
The UK and 16 other donors have now agreed pledges totalling $850 million to the HIPC trust fund. EU member states have also called on the European Commission to make a contribution through the European Development Fund.
Tony Worthington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek further independent reviews of IMF growth projections for HIPC countries; and if he will make a statement. [87573]
John Healey: At the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on children in May 2002, the Chancellor called for greater caution over the forecasts used to calculate debt sustainability for HIPCs. And G7 leaders agreed, at their meeting in June, that the IMF and World bank should ensure that forecasts of debt sustainability are made on the basis of prudent and cautious assumptions about growth and exports. Therefore, the UK is pleased to note that in preparation for the annual meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee and Development Committee in September 2002, IMF and World bank staff committed to develop alternative macroeconomic scenarios, including a policy-based Xoptimistic" and a Xconservative" scenario that would reflect country's vulnerabilities and the uncertainties of external environment. IMF and World bank staff are also expected to base their own growth projections on a thorough analysis of the likely sources of growth and to present such analyses explicitly in discussions with authorities, as well as in staff documents.
The Independent Evaluations Office (IEO) of the IMF has been discussing its work programme for 2003, proposing an evaluation of the poverty reductions strategy papers and the poverty reduction and growth facility approach. The UK has contributed to that discussion to ensure the IEO can conduct a thorough assessment.
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to release the concluding statement of the International Monetary Fund Article IV consultations by means of a written ministerial statement; and if he will make a statement. [87626]
John Healey: The IMF's concluding statement at the end of the 2002 Article IV consultations was published by the IMF on 9 December. Copies of the statement were also placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Less Polluting Vehicles
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further proposals he has to increase the tax incentives to motorists for mileage on business use to change to less polluting vehicles. [87325]
John Healey: The new company car tax system linking the charge on the benefit of a company car to the level of its carbon dioxide emissions came into effect in April this year.
The Inland Revenue is undertaking an extensive exercise to evaluate the effects of the reforms.
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Any changes to the system will be made in the context of the Chancellor's Budget judgment.
Public Liability Insurance
Ms Bridget Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an assessment of the implications of changes in public liability insurance for constituency offices and venues where parliamentary advice surgeries are held; and if he will make a statement. [86207]
Mr. Robin Cook: I have been asked to reply.
Parliament provides combined employers and public liability insurance for its Members. We are not aware of any changes to the scope of the public liability insurance.
We have been advised that when we renew our policy at the end of March 2003, the ceiling for indemnity in respect of terrorist acts under the employers' liability provision will be reduced from #10 million to #5 million. We will inform Members of the terms of the new policy.
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