| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
18 Dec 2002 : Column 819W—continued
Tax Avoidance
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what financial institutions based in the City of London have used offshore financial arrangements in the last three years as a smeans of avoiding liability for employers national insurance; and if he will make a statement; [87710R]
- (2) what steps he intends to take to remove the opportunity for financial institutions based in the City of London to avoid liability for national insurance by paying their employees who work in the UK under an offshore arrangement; [87711R]
(3) what recent reports he has received relating to tax avoidance schemes which involve the use of offshore arrangements in the payment of employees as a vehicle for avoiding (a) tax and (b) national insurance liability. [87713R]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government are committed to closing loopholes in the tax and NICs systems, which allow some people to avoid paying their fair share, increasing the burden on others. In his pre-Budget report the Chancellor announced that he was introducing measures to counter the avoidance of tax and national insurance contributions through the use of employees benefit trusts. I cannot comment on the activities of individual companies.
Training and Management Courses
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2002, Official Report, column 266W, on training and management courses, when he will publish the consultation document described. [87791]
John Healey: The Government are in discussion with a number of high street banks on the detail of their proposal and will consult small businesses in due course.
18 Dec 2002 : Column 820W
Working Families Tax Credit
Mr. Denis Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in each of the wards in the Wansbeck constituency benefit from receipt of the working families tax credit. [88158]
Dawn Primarolo: I understand from the Office for National Statistics that they expect to publish these figures within the next few weeks as part of neighbourhood statistics.
CABINET OFFICE
Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to reform non-departmental public bodies at the regional level. [86325]
Mr. Alexander: I have no plans for major reforms to the way that non-departmental public bodies operate at a regional level. However, the White Paper 'Your Region, Your Choice' sets out the Government's proposals to strengthen the existing regional institutions, including Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), who now enjoy increased funding and flexibility in the way that their resources can be used. In the future, in those regions where voters choose in a referendum to have an elected assembly, the RDA will be accountable to the elected assembly in the region, which will appoint the Chair and Board members and publish the regional economic strategy. Elected regional assemblies will also have a significant influence over other bodies such as the local Learning and Skills Councils, Small Business Service, Strategic Rail Authority, Environment Agency and cultural bodies, through making appointments, being consulted on strategies and co-ordinating activity.
Regulatory Impact Unit
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the employment costs are, including benefits, of (a) ministers representing the Regulatory Impact Unit and (b) special advisers and their supporting staff retained by the Regulatory Impact Unit. [87607]
Mr. Alexander: No special advisers are retained by the Regulatory Impact Unit (RIU). The one part-time special adviser and two Ministers employed in the Cabinet Office will spend some of their time on RIU-related issues but the cost of this time is not separately identifiable from the time spent by them on other issues.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Agency Workers
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her European counterparts regarding the Agency Workers Directive; whether she has sought to make amendments to the Directive as it stands; and if she will make a statement. [87663]
18 Dec 2002 : Column 821W
Alan Johnson: As I said in the debate in European Standing Committee C on 10 July 2002, the Government would like to see further flexibilities introduced to the proposal. I have been discussing and will continue to discuss this proposal with Ministers in other member states, MEPs and Commissioner Diamantopoulou. I shall be producing an Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment on the revised proposal.
Business Leaders
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 5 December, Official Report, column 1039, if she will list the business leaders to whom she spoke between 27 November and 5 December, stating in each case whether the agreement to which she refers was volunteered. [87515]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 16 December 2002]: As the Official Report, makes clear, I was referring to a wide range of discussions with business leaders since Budget 2002, including several large meetings.
Christmas Day Trading
Donald Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response she has received from major retailers to her appeal not to open on Christmas Day; and what action she plans for future years as a result of that response. [87987]
Alan Johnson: Consultation of major retailers earlier in the year indicated that the majority did not plan to open on Christmas Day 2002 or in future years.
The need for any further action will be considered in the light of the practice of retailers at Christmas this year.
Election Addresses
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under what legislation the Post Office is required to deliver election addresses free of charge at general elections; what the cost of delivery was at the last general election (a) in each constituency and (b) in total; and by whom those costs are met. [87342]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 16 December 2002]: A candidate's right to send election address post free is provided for in Section 91 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 as amended by paragraph 17 of Schedule 8 to the Postal Services Act 2000. Section 91 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 entitles a candidate at a parliamentary election (subject to such reasonable terms and conditions as the universal service provider may specify) to send free of any charge certain specified postal communications to each elector. Cost is a matter that falls within the day-to-day responsibility of Royal Mail Group plc and I have therefore asked the Chairman to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Employers Liability Insurance
Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what recent assessment she has made of the ability of small businesses to secure Employers' Liability Insurance; [87405]
18 Dec 2002 : Column 822W
- (2) how many businesses have gone into liquidation citing the inability to obtain affordable Employers' Liability Insurance in the last 12 months. [87403]
Miss Melanie Johnson: As businesses enter liquidation proceedings for a number of reasons, it is not possible to single out one issue, such as difficulty in obtaining Employers Liability Insurance as the sole cause of such proceedings.
However, my Department is very concerned by reports of significant rises in insurance costs, particularly for small businesses, and is aware of the difficulties that this has posed for some firms.
As announced in the Chancellor's pre-Budget report in November, the Government are conducting a review to assess the scale and nature of difficulties with the Employer's Liability Insurance system. The Department for Work and Pensions is leading the review and my Department will play a full and active role to represent the needs of business. Further details about the review are available at www.dwp. gov.uk/publications/2002/mdex.htm.
Mozambique
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the volume of trade between the UK and Mozambique was in the last year for which figures are available; what recent estimate she has made of UK investment in Mozambique; and what steps she has taken to encourage trade between Mozambique and the rest of the Commonwealth. [87062]
Nigel Griffiths: According to figures published by HM Customs and Excise, UK imports of goods from Mozambique in 2001 were valued at #7.5 million while UK exports were worth #12.6 million. In the nine months to September 2002 UK imports were worth #1.5 million while exports were #10.9 million. The figures do not take account of trade between Mozambique and British companies located in South Africa, for which statistics are not available.
Information on UK investment in Mozambique is not available due to commercial confidentiality.
Trade Partners UK has a small but busy section in Mozambique, assisting UK companies in the market and those wishing to access it for the first time. In addition TPUK has recently funded a high level delegation to the UK to highlight investment opportunities in a hydro-power project, Mpanda Ncua, and has given support to a trade mission from the UK planned for February 2003. It is not HMG's role to actively promote business between Mozambique and other Commonwealth countries. However, TPUK supported the Commonwealth Business Council in its efforts to run an investment promotion seminar jointly with the Mozambique Government in February 2002.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |