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Public Service Pension Schemes

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of further savings that will be made if the rules of public service pension schemes are changed so that new members receive an unreduced pension from age 65. [91084]

Ruth Kelly: As noted in Cm 5677, "Simplicity, security and choice: Working and saving for retirement", the Government envisages that the higher pension age might be introduced in most schemes as part of a package of changes to pension arrangements. This would allow for improvements to benefits which employers and staff value and have a positive impact on staff recruitment and retention, including greater flexibility in the transition from work to retirement, and help the financial sustainability of public service pension schemes. Also, while it is envisaged that the new pension packages will be introduced for new employees, the Government will also be consulting on how and to what timescale the higher pension age and any associated enhancement to benefits could be extended to existing employees while protecting rights already accrued. Against that background there are too many uncertainties to give estimates of any likely net costs or savings and these will only become available as proposals are worked up for individual public services after full consultation with staff representatives. The effects of increasing pension ages would also vary considerably from scheme to scheme and build up gradually over time.

Research and Development

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total amount of money that was spent on research and development by small and medium-sized companies in (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000, (c) 2000–01 and (d) 2001–02. [91020]

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

Letter from C. Mowl to Mr. Howard Flight, dated 23 January 2003:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what estimate has been made of the total amount of money that was spent on research and development by small and medium sized companies in (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000, (c) 2000–01 and (d) 2001–02.1 am replying in his absence. (91020)

The answer requires extensive new analysis, using historic information from ONS's interdepartmental business register (IDBR), in order to apply the current definition of small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) based on the Commission Recommendation (96/280/EC) of 3 April 1996. This analysis is in hand as a matter of urgency.

An answer will be provided shortly.

Royal Mint

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the recommendations made by Grant Thornton in its Action Plan on the Royal Mint had been addressed by 31 December 2002; if he will place a report on the actions in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [90952]

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Ruth Kelly: Of the 70 recommendations contained in the above report, 67 have been completed. Of the remaining three, one is being addressed as part of a new Code of Practice for the Royal Mint and will be put in place by the end of March 2003 (Grant Thornton recommendation 14); one is on schedule to be completed by the agreed date of end March 2003 (Grant Thornton recommendation 32); and one has been found to be impracticable as there is no software available for our current systems (recommendation 62).

Tax Rises

Mr. Lilley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the annual cost to businesses of tax rises announced in the last Budget. [92750]

Dawn Primarolo: Budget 2002 introduced measures to modernise the corporate tax environment, providing longer-term stability and the best possible environment for investment. A series of targeted measures, such as tax credits for R&D and an exemption for capital gains on substantial shareholding, were introduced; as well as cutting the starting rate of corporation tax to zero and a reduction in the small companies rate to 19 per cent.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual cost to businesses of new tax rises announced in the last Budget. [92835]

Dawn Primarolo: Budget 2002 introduced measures to modernise the corporate tax environment, providing longer-term stability and the best possible environment for investment. A series of targeted measures, such as tax credits for R&D and an exemption for capital gains on substantial shareholding, were introduced, as well as cutting the starting rate of corporation tax to zero and a reduction in the small companies rate to 19 per cent.

Taxation

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue yield of a 49 per cent. income tax rate on (a) taxable income and (b) gross incomes exceeding £100,000 per annum; if he will estimate in each case the (i) income tax and (ii) capital gains tax yield; and if he will make a statement. [92775]

Dawn Primarolo: The full-year yield in 2003–04 of making the changes are set out in the table.

The full-year yield in 2003–04

	(i) Income Tax yield £ billion	(ii) Capital Gains Tax yield £ million
(a) 49 per cent. rate for taxable incomes over £100,000	4.5	100
(b) 49 per cent. rate for gross incomes over £100,000	4.6	100

The Income Tax estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the November 2002 Pre-Budget Report. These estimates exclude any behavioural response to the tax change.

Capital Gains Tax estimates take into account the likely effect on yield of changes in the volume of disposals in a full year caused by taxpayers' behaviour.

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Underspending

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place to ensure that revenue underspend by other Government Departments are (a) recognised by HM Treasury and (b) factored into decision making in future spending reviews. [92980]

Mr. Boateng: Spending is monitored by the Treasury. The End Year Flexibility (EYF) system allows Departments to carry forward unspent budgets within departmental expenditure limits. Departments' EYF entitlements are published every year in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper. Departmental allocations in the Spending Review take account of all relevant factors.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Closed Circuit Television

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been of installing CCTV cameras in North Belfast for security purposes. [90161]

Jane Kennedy: The PSNI commenced installation of CCTV cameras at various interface locations in North Belfast in early summer 2002. The installation costs associated with this project are £681,400.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been of damage to CCTV equipment in north Belfast installed for security purposes. [90162]

Jane Kennedy: It is wholly regrettable that cameras and associated equipment installed to protect the local community have been attacked. The cost to date of replacing damaged CCTV equipment is £23,800. This does not include the costs to the PSNI (and the army) of supervising the replacement of damaged equipment.

WALES

Departmental Expenditure (Newsprint)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total expenditure of his Department was on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002. [90540]

Mr. Touhig: The expenditure by the Wales Office in 2002 on newspapers, magazines and periodicals was £9,389.09.

Mining

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that the Welsh mining industry is provided with financial assistance on a basis similar to the English Partnerships National Coalfield Programme; and if he will make a statement. [84189]

Mr. Touhig : I understand that there are no plans to establish a Welsh equivalent to the English Partnerships National Coalfield Programme in Wales.

However, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Wales was allocated £3.462 million over three years by the UK Government since its launch in late 1999.

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The next tranche of funding for the Coalfield Regeneration Trust in Wales, which will be funded by the National Assembly for Wales, has been agreed and will be spread over 2002 to 2005 as follows:

	£ million
2002–03	1.157
2003–04	1.420
2004–05	1.420

The funding for 2003–05 is conditional on the Coalfields Regeneration Trust reaching agreed operational targets.

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