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25 Feb 2003 : Column 384W—continued
North Sea Tax Regime
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made as to the effect tax changes on North Sea oil and gas companies announced in the Budget statement 2002 are having on the competitiveness of the industry. [99025]
John Healey: The Budget 2002 changes to the North Sea taxation regime make new investment in the North Sea more economic for oil and gas companies while extracting a fairer share of revenue for the taxpayer. The reforms are too recent for a comprehensive assessment of their overall economic impact, but the Government are encouraged by early evidence from the UKOOA report of November 2002, which found that
- "total capital expenditure for the period 2001–2010 is forecast to increase by around £1 billion, compared with last year's forecast."
Tax and Benefits
Mr. Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) families and (b) individuals have gained from tax and benefit changes since 1997; and on average by how much. [98256]
Dawn Primarolo: As a result of tax and benefit changes introduced since 1997, by 2003–04 households with children will be, on average, £1,200 per year better off. Some 6.4 million households with children will be better off.
By 2003–04, all households will be £740 per year better off on average as a result of measures introduced since 1997. Each adult will be £440 per year better off on average. There are nearly 35 million adults in households that will be better off as a result of measures introduced since 1997.
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Tax Credit Helpline
Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what performance targets have been set for the tax credit helpline; and what have been the monthly performance levels against those targets since the helpline was established. [94237]
Dawn Primarolo : A helpline was set up in August 2002 to handle detailed inquiries about the two new tax credits—Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. The introduction of these two new tax credits in April 2003 represents a large one-off piece of work for the Inland Revenue. That work includes handling telephone enquiries and processing claims. The helpline has not been set stand-alone performance targets because, as a one-off exercise, call handling and claims processing are effectively being managed as a single stream of work—allowing resources to be allocated across the two in the light of changing workload priorities.
The underlying aim at the helpline is to ensure that people can get through when they need to. That is monitored in a number of ways, including looking at the volume of calls received and handled. The best available evidence on calls made and calls received indicates that, in each month since August 2002, a high proportion—certainly more than 90 per cent.—of callers have got through on the same day.
Taxation
Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the number of families where the principal earner has a gross income above the higher rate threshold and the gross household income is below £58,175; [93061]
- (2) if he will estimate the number of families entitled to the children's tax credit where the recipient has a gross income of between £34,515 and £42,450 and the gross household income is between £50,000 and £58,175; [93060]
(3) if he will estimate the number of families entitled to the children's tax credit where the recipient has a gross income of less than £34,515 and the gross household income exceeds £50,000; [93058]
(4) if he will estimate the number of families entitled to the children's tax credit where the recipient has a gross income of less than £42,450 and the gross household income exceeds £58,175; [93057]
(5) if he will estimate the number of families entitled to the children's tax credit where the recipient has a gross income of less than £34,515 and the gross household income exceeds £58,175; [93059]
(6) if he will estimate the number of married or cohabiting couples with children whose combined taxable income exceeds £34,515 but is less than £50,000 in 2003–04; [93063]
(7) if he will estimate the number of married or cohabiting couples with children whose combined taxable income exceeds £34,515 but is less than £58,175 in 2003–04; [93065]
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(8) if he will estimate the number of married or cohabiting couples with children whose combined taxable income exceeds £42,450 but is less than £58,175 in 2003–04; [93064]
(9) if he will estimate the number of married or cohabiting couples with children whose combined taxable income exceeds £42,450 but is less than £50,000 in 2003–04. [93062]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 23 January 2003]: No reliable estimates exist.
Thermal Insulation
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to his answer of 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 42W, on thermal insulation, what the implications are of the European Union Court Case 416/85, EC Commission v. United Kingdom for the possibilities of VAT reduction on the sales and installation of energy saving materials; and if he will make a statement. [98563]
John Healey: European Court of Justice case 416/85 concerned the scope of the UK's zero rates. The Court held that zero-rating could only be justified for clearly defined social reasons and for the benefit of the final consumer.
The long-standing formal agreements with our European partners make entirely separate provision for reduced rates (of no lower than 5 per cent.) and allow relief for the 'supply, construction, renovation and alteration of housing provided as part of a social policy'. Under this provision, the UK has been able to introduce a reduced rate for installations of certain energy-saving materials in homes. Our current policy is to restrict the relief to the installation of materials whose primary purpose is to save energy, and the European Court case has no bearing on this limitation.
As I explained in my answer of 22 January, we are not able to introduce a reduced rate of VAT for energy-efficient or energy-saving materials sold direct to the public. This is not because of the European Court case, but rather that the reduced rate provision makes clear that goods and materials can only have a reduced rate when they are supplied as part of an overall service.
UK Listing Authority
Mr. Colman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the principal regulatory risks are that the UK Listing Authority is responsible for managing; [99159]
- (2) what progress the UK Listing Authority has made in reviewing the monitoring of continuing compliance with the Listing Rules and in recommending improvements; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the review's results and recommendations; [99161]
(3) what progress the UK Listing Authority has made in reviewing the requirements for approval and vetting of listing and other documentation, and in making recommendations; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the review's results and recommendations; [99158]
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(4) what the outcome was of the UK Listing Authority's risk-based review of the sponsor system and recommendations for improvements; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards including such an objective in the authority's objectives for 2002–03. [99160]
Ruth Kelly: The United Kingdom Listing Authority (UKLA) is part of the Financial Services Authority, which is independent of the Government. The duties of the FSA in its capacity as the UKLA are set out in section 73 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Following on from these duties, the UKLA formulates and enforces Listing Rules that:
- provide an appropriate level of protection for investors in listed securities;
facilitate access to listed markets for a broad range of enterprises;
seek to maintain the integrity and competitiveness of UK markets for listed securities.
Issues relating to the UKLA's review of the Listings Rules are a matter for the UKLA.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Burma
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the (a) value of imports the UK received from Burma and (b) the nature of these imports in 2002. [88773]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 8 January 2003]: I have been asked to reply.
According to figures published by HM Customs and Excise, UK imports of goods from Burma in 2002 were as follows:
nes = not elsewhere specified
Note:
Products are classified according to the Standard International Trade Classification (revision 3).
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