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10 Jun 2003 : Column 750W—continued
Online Share Dealing
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect the proposed Investment Services Directive will have on the level of online share dealing. [117463]
Mr. Boateng: The Government have considered the effect of the proposed Investment Services Directive on the level of online share trading.
The Government believe that the proposed requirement for firms to carry out a suitability test before executing client orders would add significant costs to online share dealing services. These additional costs are likely to deter both firms from offering such services and customers from demanding them. Other things being equal, the proposed Directive would therefore be expected to reduce the level of online share trading.
The Government believe it is important to ensure that execution-only business, such as online share dealing, is not compromised by over-burdensome and unnecessary regulation. We see such business as a helpful market development that facilitates freedom of choice and provides low cost access to a wider range of investors, thus allowing greater participation in securities markets.
The Government are making every effort to ensure that the draft Directive is amended in such a way that will allow execution-only business—including online share dealing—to continue.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of online share dealing was in each financial year since 1997. [117682]
Mr. Boateng: Below are figures for the value of online share dealing for the financial years since 1999 (the first full financial year in which data were collected). These figures are taken from a survey conducted for the Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers by ComPeer.
10 Jun 2003 : Column 751W
Partnership Agreements
Angela Eagle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there are any plans to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in his Department. [117447]
John Healey: The Treasury has a long established tradition of having a good working relationship with the trade union side. The trade unions make an important contribution to work in relation to diversity, disability and health and safety. In addition to annual pay negotiations, regular meetings are held and a wide range of topics are discussed.
Prostate Cancer
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in each of the last 10 years. [117899]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Vernon Coaker, dated 10 June 2003:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in each of the last 10 years. (117899)
- The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer are for 1999. The number of registrations of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer in England for the ten year period 1990–99 are given in the table below.
| Malignant neoplasm of prostate(10) | |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 12,810 |
| 1991 | 13,328 |
| 1992 | 14,885 |
| 1993 | 16,263 |
| 1994 | 18,416 |
| 1995 | 19,041 |
| 1996 | 19,201 |
| 1997 | 18,961 |
| 1998 | 19,590 |
| 1999 | 20,850 |
(10) For the year 1991 to 1994. International Classification of Diseases. Ninth Revision Code (ICD-9). code 185.
Note:
For the years 1995 to 1999. International Classification of Diseases. Tenth Revision (ICD-10). code C61.
Source:
Office for National Statistics.
Regulatory Bodies
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by, and what the budget is of each regulatory body for which his Department is responsible in each year since 1997. [117788]
John Healey: HM Treasury is the Department with lead responsibility for overseeing the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA is a private company which operates independently from the Government. It sets its own budget, funded by a levy on the firms it regulates, and determines its own staffing levels. Details are available in the FSA's Annual Report, which is presented to Parliament.
10 Jun 2003 : Column 752W
Royal Mint
Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action has been taken by the Royal Mint in response to the verdict of an inquest jury on 2 May 2003, that one of its employees was the victim of unlawful killing; and if he will make a statement. [118597]
John Healey: The Royal Mint has always taken its responsibilities towards safety seriously and deeply regrets the death of one of its employees in an accident at the Mint in June 2001. The Mint worked closely and constructively with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) throughout its investigation into the accident, and has incorporated significant improvements into its overall safety procedures. No further action was required of the Mint in response to the verdict of the inquest jury.
Tax Credit Helpline
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answers of 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 384W, to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West, and of 8 May 2003, Official Report, column 719W, to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable), on the Tax Credit helpline, what additional resources were allocated to the handling of callers to the helpline; and what assessment he has made of the impact which the additional resources have had on the helpline service. [115703]
Dawn Primarolo: I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made to the House on 28 April when I explained that the Inland Revenue had moved an additional 700 staff on to handling callers to the Tax Credit helpline. The helpline continues to be very busy, although as I said on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 121WH, the number of calls to the helpline has fallen and the pressure is easing as the numbers of awards and payments rise.
Tax Credits
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many emergency interim payments have been issued in respect of tax credit assessment errors in each week since 6 April. [115807]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available. An interim payment of tax credits may be made where we believe a family is due to tax credits but has not yet received payment, if the family would otherwise experience hardship.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of the impact on other Inland Revenue functions of the transfer of local Inland Revenue staff to assist with problems associated with the implementation of the new tax credits system; and if he will make a statement. [117734]
Dawn Primarolo: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hamilton, South (Mr. Tynan) on 3 June 2003, Official Report, column 201W.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reception to and uptake of the new research and development tax credit amongst the business community. [118166]
10 Jun 2003 : Column 753W
John Healey: Rand D tax credits for companies that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs) were introduced in Budget 2000 and extended to larger companies in Budget 2002 to promote commercial R and D in the UK. The credits have been welcomed by business, and take up continues to increase, with 3,000 claims anticipated by SMEs in 2001–02, the latest year for which we have data.
Tax Evasion
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cautions and prosecutions have been proceeded with for tax evasion in each year since 2000; how much money was involved; what the total was of the penalties; and if he will make a statement. [118110]
Dawn Primarolo: Details of prosecutions by the Revenue are published in their Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the House Library. The total amount of tax that was the subject of criminal offences successfully prosecuted by the Inland Revenue in 2000–01 and 2001–02 was:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 6,201,945 |
| 2000–01 | 6,599,539 |
Penalties are not relevant in criminal cases sentencing is a matter for the Courts: however IR pursue criminal confiscation where appropriate and in 2001–02 obtained 15 orders worth a total of £3.77 million.
Tobacco Smuggling
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the external research used in 'Tackling Tobacco Smuggling.' [118010]
John Healey: Relevant extracts from some routinely collected external data were used in the production of certain figures for 'Tackling Tobacco Smuggling', and the same data for subsequent years has been used in the documents 'Tackling Indirect Tax Fraud' and 'Protecting Indirect Tax Revenue', all of which are published.
Other external research to inform Tackling Tobacco Strategy was undertaken by Martin Taylor and in respect of that I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat Amory), on 5 April 2000, Official Report, column 491W. Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies to the disclosure of Mr. Taylor's advice.
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