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Tax Credits

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his latest estimate is of expenditure on each tax credit in each year from 2003–04 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement; [130561]

(2) if he will list the types of tax credits (a) provided by and (b) planned to be introduced by the Government giving their cost in each case in each year from 1997–98 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [130015]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Havant on 16 May 2003, Official Report, column 489W.

Further information on Government expenditure on tax credits was set out in Chapter A of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2003, and can also be found on the Inland Revenue National Statistics website: http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats.

The information will be updated in the Pre-Budget Report.

Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number and proportion of families that are likely to have to repay a proportion of their tax credits due to reassessment of their income. [134927]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 October 2003, Official Report, column 37W, to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb).

Working Tax Credit

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received since 1 May on the 30 hour earnings rule applied to working tax credit; and if he will make a statement. [135374]

Dawn Primarolo: Entitlement to Working Tax Credit depends on a person being in "qualifying remunerative work". Claimants with responsibility for a child or qualifying young person, or who are disabled, must work for at least 16 hours a week to qualify for Working Tax Credit. Working Tax Credit extends in-work support to workers without children or a disability, provided they are aged at least 25 and work for 30 or more hours a week.

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Since 1 May 2003. Treasury Ministers have received a small number of letters from hon. Members on the hours rules in Working Tax Credit.

VAT

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what receipts his Department received in respect of VAT on new (a) buildings and (b) schools during the last three years. [135275]

John Healey: The information requested is not available. Traders' VAT returns contain no information on the items upon which VAT is charged.

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VAT (Audio Books)

Mr. Soley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the removal of value added tax on audio books used by the visually impaired; and if he will make a statement. [135456]

John Healey: The Government recognises the importance of audio books to the visually impaired. Audiotapes and other specially designed equipment for visually impaired people are free from VAT. However, under long-standing formal agreements with our European partners, the UK is not permitted to extend the scope of this zero rate or to introduce any new ones.

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WORK AND PENSIONS

Rail Safety (Overcrowding)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government are taking to tackle the health hazards arising from overcrowded trains. [134183]

Mr. McNulty: I have been asked to reply.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advise that there is no hard evidence about health hazards from overcrowded trains. HSE is a member of a steering group led by the Rail Safety and Standards Board which is beginning to look into the effects resulting from overcrowding on trains, and has an interest in similar Rail Passenger Council research.

Alcoholics

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what financial allowance is available for recovering alcoholics; who qualifies for this help; and what other assistance is available; [132943]

(2) under what circumstances assistance to recovering alcoholics would be withdrawn; and how their eligibility for re-application is assessed. [132944]

Maria Eagle: People with disabilities and health problems, including alcohol-related problems, have full access to the services of Jobcentre Plus; regardless of which benefit, if any, is being claimed. In addition, Progress2work LinkUP pilots are now running in several areas across the country. These pilots will further develop our work-focused provision for disadvantaged groups such as alcohol misusers.

Financial assistance may be available from the benefit system, depending on individual circumstances; for example, Disability Living Allowance may be awarded where a person has a requirement for personal care. Benefits may be withdrawn where the conditions of entitlement are no longer satisfied following a change of circumstances. Eligibility for a repeat claim is assessed according to individual circumstances at the time of making that claim.

Benefit Payments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension and benefit recipients have been contacted regarding the transferring of the payment of their pension or benefit to direct payment; of these, how many have opted to have their pension or benefit paid into (a) a standard current bank or building society account, (b) the new bank or building society account and (c) a post office card account; and how many have failed to select an option. [135199]

Mr. Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 28 October 2003, Official Report, column 207W.

Child Support Agency

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on

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progress in transferring Child Support Agency cases from the old system of calculation to the proposed new system. [134211]

Mr. Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) on 16 September 2003, Official Report, columns 696–97W.

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions have been initiated in the last year for provision of false information to the Child Support Agency. [134341]

Mr. Pond: Since April 2002 the Child Support Agency has initiated 15 prosecutions against clients for providing false information. Of the 14 prosecutions that have currently been heard in court the defendant was found guilty in every case.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints were received per month from Child Support Agency clients (a) in the six months previous to the introduction of the new child support system and (b) in the last three months, in the latter case identifying how many of the complaints came from (i) clients of the old system and (ii) clients of the new system; what percentage of total clients the complaints represented per month; and if he will make a statement. [131447]

Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Angus Robertson, dated 27 October 2003:

The Secretary of State, in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked about the numbers of complaints received by the Agency in the 6 months prior to the introduction of the new child support system and in the last 3 months (identifying the number received from clients on the old and new systems) and what percentage of our total clients these figures equate to.

The figures you requested are summarised in the following tables:

Complaints received prior to the introduction of the new child support system

Month	Number of complaints received	Percentage oftotal clients
September	1,238	0.11
October	1,318	0.12
November	1,263	0.12
December	958	0.09
January	1,316	0.12
February	1,515	0.15
Monthly Average	1,268	0.12

In April 2003 we changed our complaints handling processes. This has ensured the more accurate recording of complaints and ensured the recording for the first time of telephone complaints. I have included below information on written complaints only, for a more representative comparison.

This new system has recorded the following number of complaints:

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Complaints received in the three months up to August 2003

Month	Total complaints received	Percentage of total clients	Written complaints received	Percentage of total clients
June	2,174	0.21	1,666	0.16
July	2,684	0.24	2,017	0.18
August	2,320	0.19	1,725	0.14

It is not possible to make an exact split between complaints from clients within the old and new arrangements because the affairs of some clients span both.

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