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Media

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the complaints made by him and his staff against (a) individual journalists and (b) media outlets since July 2001. [104551]

The Prime Minister: We do not keep records of this kind. The Government have a good working relationship with the media.

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will amend the Ministerial Code to prevent Ministers from attempting (a) to procure or prevent the appointment of any individual journalist to a position in the media and (b) to secure the promotion or dismissal of any individual journalist. [104550]

The Prime Minister: I have seen no evidence that any of the activities have occurred and therefore see no need to amend the code.

TREASURY

Aerospace Industry

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of UK civil aerospace (a) imports and (b) exports was in each year since 1997. [104886]

Ruth Kelly: Imports and exports of aerospace goods for the period 1997–2002 are as follows:

Aerospace goods*£ million

	Exports	Imports
1997	2,135	3,730
1998	2,434	4,008
1999	3,723	3,823
2000	4,637	4,418
2001	4,811	5,867
2002	4,308	7,268

* Includes the following where for civil use: powered aircraft, non-powered aircraft (e.g. gliders), helicopters, ground flying trainers; parts of the foregoing.

Note:

Data includes both EU and non-EU trade.

Bee Discuss Insurance Ltd

Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future regulation of Bee Discuss Insurance Ltd. by the Financial Services Authority. [104793]

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Ruth Kelly: Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the detailed operation of the regulation of financial services is the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority.

Certified Wood Products

Ms Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential for revision of EU tax regulations to permit a reduction in the rate of VAT charged on independently certified wood products; and if he will make a statement. [104084]

John Healey: Under long-standing formal agreements with our European partners, we are only permitted to introduce reduced rates of VAT for a prescribed list of goods and services set out in Annex H of the Sixth VAT Directive. Independently certified wood products are not currently among the items included on this list. The provisions for VAT reduced rates are to be reviewed by the European Commission during 2003. We will consider any potential changes to these provisions in due course in the context of this review.

Charities

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid in VAT by registered charities in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [104085]

John Healey: Customs and Excise does not hold data about the charitable status of VAT-registered traders and therefore has no estimate of the VAT paid by registered charities.

Child Benefit

Mr. Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he gives on interpretation of the terms (a) not ordinarily resident and (b) ordinarily resident, used in Part 6 of The Child Benefit (General) Regulations 2003 (SI 493 of 2003). [103917]

Dawn Primarolo: The term "ordinarily resident" is not new. It is used for working families tax credit now and will be carried forward for working tax credit and child tax credit from April 2003. As part of the alignment of the rules for child benefit with those for the new tax credits, the same test is to be applied to new claims for child benefit after 6 April 2003.

The term "ordinarily resident" has been the subject of previous judicial interpretation and its meaning is well established. Essentially, it means that the person must have their settled home in the United Kingdom. For the vast majority of claimants, it will be obvious that their settled home is in the United Kingdom. For those with more complex circumstances, the Inland Revenue will ask any follow-up questions necessary to establish whether or not they are entitled to child benefit.

Detailed guidance on the new residence rules for child benefit will be available on the Inland Revenue's website and from the Child Benefit Office (Customer Services) before the new rules come into force.

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Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Romsey (Sandra Gidley), of 28 February 2003, Official Report, column 747W, on the child tax credit, what the source is for the estimate on child care tax credit take-up. [104534]

Dawn Primarolo: The estimate of the proportion of WFTC recipients using eligible child care who receive the child care tax credit is derived from table 2.9 on page 20 of the Department for Work and Pensions research report 181, "Working Families' Tax Credit in 2001". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.

Civil Contingency Planning

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his Department's (a) responsibilities and (b) assets with regard to civil contingency planning; what funds are committed; what action he is taking within his Department to improve such planning; and what action he is taking in collaboration with other departments. [102620]

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 21 March 2003.

In conjunction with the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury is reviewing its areas of responsibility with regard to civil contingency planning. Areas likely for inclusion in this review encompass:

Protecting art treasures (supported by Department for Culture Media and Sport)


Banks and financial services (supporting Department for Trade and Industry)


Government finance


Restricting finance for international terrorism (supporting the Foreign and Commonwealth Office)


Sequestration of foreign assets (supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office)


Transport co-ordination and support (supporting Department for Transport)


Rationing (supporting the Cabinet Office, Department of Work and Pensions, and Home Office)

HM Treasury's core asset is our staff expertise based in our Whitehall office accommodation. The department has substantially upgraded its business continuity arrangements and has established alternative back-up office accommodation and emergency working arrangements. These arrangements are periodically tested with a variety of crisis management scenarios to improve resilience. Resource for these activities continues to be found within the department's expenditure limit.

Fisheries

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax was paid to the UK Treasury arising from the last fishing vessel decommissioning scheme. [105030]

John Healey: Grants payable for the decommissioning of fishing vessels may lead to increased taxable receipts by contributing either to a capital gain on the disposal of the vessel or to taxable profits arising from the trade.

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The amount of tax paid will depend upon the circumstances of the taxpayers concerned and cannot readily be estimated.

Departmental Crèche Facilities

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what crèche facilities are provided by his Department and at what cost. [104297]

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury does not provide any crèche facilities. The Department is a member of the Westminster Holiday Playscheme, which operates during school holidays and is open to children aged 4 to 12. The Treasury has two bespoke Playscheme rooms. The cost per child per day is £30 and the Treasury subsidises the costs for its staff by 60 per cent. Around 10 members of staff take up places for their children. Staff can also reclaim additional child care costs incurred, including the tax liability, if they have to work longer or later than normal.

Departmental Events

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in the last 12 months, broken down by title, purpose, date and cost. [104280]

Ruth Kelly: Records are not maintained centrally. Information in the format required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Phone Directory

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the most recent internal phone directory for the Department was published; how often it is updated; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [101783]

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury directory is held in electronic format and is no longer published. Members of staff are responsible for updating their own entries in the directory.

The Treasury's key numbers are available publicly through publications such as the Civil Service Year Book, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Inquiries can also be made via the Treasury switchboard on 020 7270 5000.

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