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Departmental Ministers

Mr. Horam: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Ministers there were in his Department in each year since 1996. [120989]

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John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 24 June 2003, Official Report, column 661W.

Environmental Costs

Sue Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what economic instruments the Treasury plans to use to internalise the environmental costs of goods; and if he will make a statement. [121986]

John Healey: The Government will continue to use a range of economic instruments, including environmental taxes and tradable permit schemes, to internalise environmental costs in prices.

The principles and approach of Government policy on using economic instruments are set out in the document Tax and the environment: using economic instruments', which was published alongside the 2002 Pre-Budget Report.

The Chancellor decides taxation policy in the context of the Budget process.

European Economic Convergence

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he would take, following a decision to implement a discretionary fiscal policy to stabilise the economy to ensure that departmental expenditure reinforces policy regarding taxation, in order to maintain macroeconomic stability, as discussed in the Treasury document Fiscal stabilisation and EMU. [121555]

Mr. Boateng: Departmental expenditure plans are set within a framework that is consistent with the Government's objective of achieving fiscal sustainability and therefore macroeconomic stability. In the event of EMU entry, using government spending for stabilisation purposes would not be sensible, as any changes made would involve long inside lags and frequent changes would conflict with the current medium-term spending framework.

Financial Products (Charges)

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the responses that he has received to his consultation on the 1 per cent. cap on administration charges for financial products; and what his timescale is for making an announcement on the outcome of the consultation. [122626]

Mr. Boateng: The Government published their consultation document 'Proposed Product Specifications for Sandier "Stakeholder" Products' on 5 February, 2003. The consultation closed on 2 May, 2003. The Government will publish a response to the consultation in the summer.

Responses to the consultation will be placed on the Treasury website, with the exception of the limited number that requested confidentiality.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to establish medium term stability on the taxation of liquefied petroleum gas. [122350]

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John Healey: In Budget 2001, the Chancellor gave a commitment that the duty on liquefied petroleum gas would not be increased in real terms until 2004 at the earliest. The Chancellor announced in Budget 2003 that the Government would consult key stakeholders on how best to ensure that support for road fuel gases beyond 2004 would continue to reflect environmental and other policy objectives. This consultation was launched earlier this month and will seek stakeholders' views on the effectiveness of range of potential incentives, including fuel duties and the grants for LPG vehicles currently offered through the TransportEnergy PowerShift programme.

The consultation is being carried out jointly by the Department for Transport, HM Treasury and HM Customs and Excise and will conclude in September. We plan to announce our conclusions at this year's Pre-Budget Report.

Local Authority Funding

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Treasury study for the issues in the review of local authority funding. [122464]

John Healey: The Treasury is not undertaking a review into local authority funding. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently reviewing the balance of funding in local government finance and copies of the papers for this review are available on the ODPM website.

Personal Debt

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer [pursuant to his answer of 16 June, Official Report, column 40W, on personal debt, what action is he taking to reduce the level of existing personal debt within the UK. [120742]

Mr. Boateng: Within the framework of macroeconomic stability and financial awareness set by the Government, operational decisions reside with relevant institutions and individuals.

Stamp Duty

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to remove stamp duty for first-time buyers. [121730]

Mr. Boateng: The Government is not convinced that removing stamp duty for first-time buyers is the best way to assist those on the bottom rung of the housing ladder. Indeed it might actually fuel house price inflation and make property less affordable for first-time buyers. Continuing stability through the Government's policies, and in particular, continuing low interest rates, have been effective in helping people to be able to afford their own home. As such there are no plans to remove stamp duty for first-time buyers.

VAT

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the change in value added tax was in each financial year since 1991–92; [121735]

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(2) what the (a) average amount of value added tax paid per household and (b) the average change per household in value added tax paid was in each financial year since 1991–92. [121736]

John Healey: The standard rate of VAT was increased from 15 per cent. to 17.5 per cent on 1 April 1991, and has remained unchanged since then. Information on other changes to VAT and on VAT receipts in subsequent financial years may be found in HM Customs and Excise's Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Information about the number of households in the UK in those years is available on the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and from the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland.

War Debt

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the schedule of remaining war debt to be paid to the United States is in respect of the Second World War. [122338]

Mr. Boateng: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Economic Secretary gave him on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1439–41.

Table B19 in the Supplementary Statements to the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts for 2001–02, presented to Parliament on 19 December 2002, provides the latest published data on the outstanding Second World War debt to the United States Government (HC 113, Session 2002–03).

A further repayment of principal, amounting to $66,381,002.61, was made at the end of December 2002 under the terms of the 1945 Agreement.

SCOTLAND

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment procedure; and how many RIAs have been reviewed in respect of the Department over the last year. [120819]

Mr. Darling: A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) must be completed for all policy proposals, including prospective legislation, which may have a potential impact on businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. It includes details of the arrangements for monitoring and evaluating policy proposals and their impact.

The Scotland Office has no routine programme of policy or legislative measures that would normally lead to an RIA. Exceptionally, the office prepared one RIA, published in February this year, in relation to the Sunday Working (Scotland) Bill, which is currently before Parliament.

Tax Credits

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2003,

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Official Report, column 664W, on tax credits, how many families in Scotland are expected to receive (a) the child tax credit and (b) the working tax credit. [122720]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Peter Duncan) on 5 June 2003, Official Report, column 528W.

PRIME MINISTER

Access Disputes

Andrew Selous: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral Answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 676, when he will write to the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire on access disputes. [122150]

The Prime Minister: I replied to the hon. Member on 24 June.

Children's Trusts

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2003, ref 120952, on children's trusts, which Minister has lead responsibility; and when decisions concerning the pilot children's trusts will be announced. [122765]

The Prime Minister: Margaret Hodge, Minister for Children at the Department for Education and Skills and Dr. Stephen Ladyman, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Community, which includes child health, will have joint responsibility for the policy development of Children's Trusts. The decision on the first phase of children's trusts will be announced shortly.

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