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Inland Revenue (Business Support Teams)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many small businesses have received assistance from the Inland Revenue's Business Support Teams in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [119447]

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Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 16 June 2003]: The Inland Revenue set up its Business Support Teams in 1999 to provide help and support to businesses and employers, particularly new and small businesses, on dealing with income tax and national insurance contributions, and payroll matters.

In 2000–01 they assisted:

	Number
Employers with fewer than 10 employees	37,565
Employers with 10 or more employees	25,131
Businesses	7,539
Prospective businesses	1,815

In addition, 37,547 individuals representing both employers and businesses attended technical presentations given by Business Support Teams.

In 2001–02 they assisted:

	Number
Employers with fewer than 10 employees	41,652
Employers with 10 or more employees	20,280
Businesses	20,891
Prospective businesses	3,568

In addition, 45,767 individuals representing both employers and businesses attended technical presentations given by Business Support Teams.

In 2002–03 they assisted:

	Number
Employers with fewer than 10 employees	40,839
Employers with 10 or more employees	18,135
Businesses	36,074
Prospective businesses	5,318

In addition, 64,418 individuals representing both employers and businesses attended technical presentations given by Business Support Teams.

Iraq

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there are restrictions on imports and exports to Iraq, save those set out in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483. [117030]

Nigel Griffiths: I have been asked to reply.

On 22 May 2003 the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1483 (2003). Among other things this Resolution lifted all trade and financial restrictions on Iraq, but retains the arms embargo. The terms of UNSCR 1483 will be implemented by the issue of a revocation Order under 1939 Act and following Privy Council approval, of the Orders made in Council under the UN Act 1946 all of which will come into force on 14 June 2003.

Import and export restrictions will continue to apply in respect of goods subject to control as detailed in Orders made under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (defence) Act 1939.

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Millennium Development Targets

Mr. Caton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has held with other Governments on financing the Millennium Development targets. [117970]

John Healey: The UK Government continues to press the urgent case for an International Finance Facility to raise the additional finance needed to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 in all relevant national and international fora and with both developed and developing country governments.

Support has been achieved through events such as the Chief Secretary's visit to Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa earlier this month; an official level visit to Rwanda to address the eighth meeting of the HIPC Finance Ministers on the IFF; and a Treasury representation at the Annual Economic Commission for African Finance Ministers in Addis Ababa. At this meeting Ministers issued a Communique stating "we strongly welcome the proposed International Finance Facility as the first of its kind designed to mobilise additional resources for the poorest countries to meet the MDGs."

The Development Committee and the IMFC discussed the IFF at the Spring Meetings in April and the Development Committee will raise it again at the Annual Meetings. Agreement was made in the Communique of the last G7 Finance Ministerial meeting to continue to focus on the Millennium Development Goals, and their financing, including facilities. At the G8 Summit in Evian, Heads of State requested that Finance Ministers report back on the IFF in advance of the Annual Meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in September 2003. The Treasury also continues to discuss the IFF in European meetings, including ECOFIN, at both Ministerial and official level.

Motorcycle Equipment (VAT)

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce the rate of VAT levied on motorcycle (a) protective clothing, (b) replacement helmet visors, (c) safety equipment and (d) security equipment; and if he will make a statement. [119717]

John Healey: Under our long-standing formal agreements with our European partners, we are permitted to keep our existing zero rates but may not extend them or introduce new ones. As such, it is not possible to remove VAT from the items mentioned. Member states are permitted to introduce reduced rates of VAT on a prescribed list of goods and services set out in Annex H of the EC Sixth VAT Directive. However, none of the items mentioned currently feature on this list, and we cannot therefore apply a reduced rate to them at this time. The Annex H list is due to be reviewed by the European Commission later this year, and we will consider any representations for new reduced rates in the context of this review.

Mutuality Principles

Mr. Bailey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential of the principles of mutuality in the delivery of local government services. [119749]

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John Healey: In order to improve service delivery at local and community level, the Government have looked at new structures for collaboration between local authorities and other organisations, including mutual organisations. We are aware of the potential of the mutual sector to complement local authority services in areas such as child care provision, social housing, leisure and community transport. We encourage local authorities to explore such options and opportunities in order to bring improvements in the delivery of local government services.

National Insurance (Top-up Payments)

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is in (a) real terms and (b) cash terms of the total amount paid in national insurance top-up payments in each year since 1992–93. [119915]

Dawn Primarolo: The information is given in the table.

£ million

	National insurance class 3 contributionsreceipts, UK
Financial year	(a) Real terms (2001–02 prices)	(b) Cash terms
1992–93	68	54
1993–94	50	41
1994–95	70	58
1995–96	63	54
1996–97	74	65
1997–98	77	70
1998–99	59	55
1999–2000	62	59
2000–01	60	58
2001–02	75	75

Note:

Real term prices calculated using the HMT GDP deflator series.

Source:

The Government Actuary's Department has provided these estimates.

Tax Credits

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for reducing delays for people applying for tax credits. [119514]

Dawn Primarolo: I would refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 823, to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk), and the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous), on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 828.

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what target he has for the time taken to process claims for tax credits. [119521]

Dawn Primarolo: I would refer the hon. Member to the Inland Revenue Departmental Report 2003 (Cm 5925) and to the Inland Revenue Service Delivery Agreement 2003–06 (updated May 2003). Both are available on the Inland Revenue website at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk

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WALES

Agency Workers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds. [115204]

Peter Hain: During the last two financial years five posts in my Department have had to be covered by agency workers at some stage or other. The number of individual agency workers who were employed in each year, and their cost, was:

Agency workers employed

Financial year	Number	Cost £
2001–02	11	35,000
2002–03	10	56,600

Employment

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what projects are being put in place in Wales to increase employment opportunities for people over 55. [118050]

Peter Hain: New Deal 50 plus is the programme that helps increase the employability of unemployed people aged 50 and over including the over 55s. Five thousand people in Wales have found employment under New Deal 50 plus since the programme was set up in 2000.

Unemployed people in Wales aged 50 and over also have immediate access to the work-based training grants (WBLA). Such access is not available in England or Scotland.

The Age Positive team, which is part of the Department for Work and Pensions, promotes age diversity in employment. The team aims to increase the number of people aged 50 and over who are in employment, encourages employers to use age-diverse practices, analyses the position of older workers in the employment market and shares good practice internationally. An Age Positive campaign was launched in Cardiff on 9 June 2003.

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