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20 Nov 2003 : Column 1326W—continued

Financial Services Authority

Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the membership of the Financial Services Authority Financial Capability Steering Group is. [139430]

Ruth Kelly: The membership of the Financial Services Authority Financial Capability Steering Group has been published in an FSA press notice issued on the 20 October 2003 and is as follows:

John Tiner, Chief Executive, Financial Services Authority (Chairman)


Luqman Arnold, Chief Executive, Abbey National plc


David Clementi, Chairman, Prudential plc


John Gummer, Chairman, Association of Independent Financial Advisers


David Marker, Chief Executive, Citizen's Advice


Deirdre Mutton, Chair, National Consumer Council

20 Nov 2003 : Column 1327W

Digby Jones, Director General, Confederation of British Industry


Ruth Kelly, Financial Secretary to the Treasury; and Ron Sandier, chairman, Personal Finance Education Group


Media figure to be announced shortly.

Income Tax

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to how many people the 10 pence tax rate has applied in each constituency since its introduction. [140425]

Dawn Primarolo: All income tax payers benefit from the 10 pence starting rate. It would be possible to provide a reliable breakdown by constituency only at disproportionate cost.

Inland Revenue

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who set the criteria for payment of performance-related pay to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue regarding the duties they have had with respect to Project ASPIRE and its antecedents in the period 1999–2000 to 2002–03. [140447]

Dawn Primarolo: Under the pay arrangements common to all members of the Senior Civil Service, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue individually agree their performance criteria with the Chairman. The Chairman agrees his performance criteria with the Permanent Secretaries Remuneration Committee.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total budget approved for the market-making exercise in support of Project ASPIRE was in each year from 2000–01 to 2002–03; and what the actual expenditure recorded against budget was in each case. [140448]

Dawn Primarolo: Expenditure on the market making exercise fell only in the 2001–02 and 2002–03 financial years. No separate budget was allocated to the Market-making exercise, which was funded as part of the general budget for the ASPIRE project.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Sir Nicholas Montagu KCB took the Chair of the Superintending Group overseeing Project ASPIRE; who Sir Nicholas's predecessors in that role had been since 1997; and when each took office. [140449]

Dawn Primarolo: The ASPIRE Project formally commenced on 31 October 2001. The first meeting of the ASPIRE Superintending Group was held on 5 February 2002. Initially, the Superintending Group was chaired by Tim Flesher who was, at that time, the Deputy Chairman of the Inland Revenue. When he moved to a new post in another Government Department, Sir Nicholas Montagu KCB replaced him. Sir Nicholas chaired his first meeting of the ASPIRE Superintending Group on 3 June 2003.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the authorised establishment for professional grades was in 2000–01 for Inland Revenue International Division, Business Tax Group broken down by (a) Deputy Director's Office, (b) Policy Team and (c) Advisory/Casework Team; what the corresponding

20 Nov 2003 : Column 1328W

actual manning by unit was on 31 March 2001; and how many (i) transfers in and (ii) transfers out were recorded by unit in 2000–01. [140450]

Dawn Primarolo: It would be inappropriate to disclose the information requested as it would facilitate the identification of individual members of staff of the Inland Revenue. Exemption 8 (a) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies in this case.

Iraq

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of the war in Iraq to the Exchequer has been to date; and if he will make a statement on his current forecast of the likely total cost. [139823]

Mr. Boateng: So far MOD has drawn down £1 billion in last year's spring Supplementary Estimate and Parliament will be invited to make any further provision for 2003–04 in this year's winter and spring Supplementary Estimates.

The Chancellor announced in the Budget that £3 billion is set aside to cover the cost of operations in Iraq. It would be premature to anticipate the total costs of the military operation at this time.

Lyons Review

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made with the Lyons Review; and if he will make a statement. [137536]

Mr. Boateng: Following publication of his interim report on 9 September, Sir Michael Lyons has been assessing relocation proposals submitted by Government Departments. Departments have identified the scope for relocating 20,000 posts, but further work is needed to develop the proposals. The Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister have extended the review to allow Sir Michael time for further discussion with Departments. His final report will be published early next year.

More details are on the Lyons Review website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/lyonsreview

Mortgage Finance

Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned on the effect on debt levels of the use of mortgage finance as a source of credit for purposes unrelated to home improvement. [140124]

Ruth Kelly: Box B8 in Annex B of the Budget 2003 discussed mortgage equity withdrawal.

NM Rothschild and Son Ltd.

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on services provided to his Department by NM Rothschild since 1997. [139959]

Mr. Boateng: Since 1997, HM Treasury has engaged NM Rothschild on two projects. The firm has supplied advice on the creation of Partnerships UK and their on-going business issues, and on the sale of a number of HM Treasury's residual shareholdings.

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Parliamentary Questions

Richard Burden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer the questions tabled on 27 October 2003 by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield, concerning tax credits, reference numbers 135413 to 135416. [139920]

Dawn Primarolo: I have already done so.

Petrol Tax

Mr. Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of petrol tax rises on volunteers who claim petrol expenses. [139992]

John Healey: Volunteers who receive motoring expenses are liable to tax only if the amounts received exceed actual expenditure and so they make a profit. Drivers for organised volunteer car schemes who are paid a mileage allowance may choose to calculate any profit by using tax free mileage allowances published by the Inland Revenue. These allowances are intended as a fair estimate of the costs of providing a car, including the costs of fuel.

Postal Service (VAT)

Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 12 June 2003,

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Official Report, column 984W, on postal service (VAT), whether his policy on VAT on stamps has changed; and if he will make a statement. [140179]

John Healey: The Government remain opposed to VAT on stamps, and has made this clear in negotiations on the European Commission's proposal to amend the provisions of the Sixth VAT Directive concerning the VAT arrangements applicable to postal services.

Premature Deaths (Wales)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many premature deaths there were in each local authority area in Wales in each of the past 20 years. [140440]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 20 November 2003:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many premature deaths there were in each local authority area in Wales in each of the past 20 years. I am replying in his absence. (140440)

ONS does not have a standard definition of premature deaths. Figures provided in the tables below show total numbers of deaths under age 65 and under age 75. Numbers are provided from 1990, the earliest year for which they can be readily allocated to consistent current unitary authority boundaries.

Deaths of persons under age 65 by Welsh unitary authority, 1990 to 2002⁽⁴³⁾

Unitaryauthority											Numbers of deaths
Code	Name	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
NA	Isle of Anglesey	167	142	145	156	159	139	121	118	129	122	121	133	121
NC	Gwynedd	261	263	226	220	229	225	215	188	239	198	211	206	209
NE	Conwy	245	204	197	210	218	229	181	229	218	213	218	230	220
NG	Denbighshire	181	178	179	186	184	182	197	192	198	190	197	182	192
NJ	Flintshire	305	299	314	320	301	273	290	273	273	314	269	268	247
NL	Wrexham	269	234	256	285	251	264	266	254	228	248	234	230	245
NN	Powys	258	235	236	237	228	261	229	206	246	226	205	207	243
NQ	Ceredigion	115	132	126	130	121	151	115	113	112	123	126	108	126
NS	Pembrokeshire	261	237	253	226	212	233	200	212	Til	222	208	240	242
NU	Carmarthenshire	401	367	387	364	345	384	364	362	320	345	309	347	355
NX	Swansea	501	478	473	497	447	481	415	473	452	413	436	438	412
NZ	Neath Port Talbot	325	321	327	319	329	305	337	290	248	278	270	299	265
PB	Bridgend	323	282	285	282	263	267	247	268	211	295	260	235	225
PD	The Vale of Glamorgan	231	219	208	227	231	196	211	220	198	212	236	173	211
PF	Rhondda, Cynon, Taff	556	570	494	564	534	554	531	509	531	530	469	487	487
PH	Merthyr Tydfil	145	157	130	149	144	130	158	152	135	140	143	122	119
PK	Caerphilly	358	360	378	373	366	359	387	352	346	367	374	348	323
PL	Blaenau Gwent	198	168	178	151	165	171	180	145	147	184	152	168	159
PM	Torfaen	213	201	189	213	206	195	180	180	157	181	177	169	171
PP	Monmouthshire	149	142	149	146	146	144	149	156	144	143	130	138	157
PR	Newport	312	304	308	317	284	262	269	295	261	278	259	277	267
PT	Cardiff	650	602	578	624	576	583	540	573	510	550	547	530	482

⁽⁴³⁾ Deaths of usual residents registered in each year, based on boundaries as at April 2001.

Deaths of persons under age 75 by Welsh unitary authority, 1990 to 2002⁽⁴⁴⁾

Unitaryauthority													Numbers of deaths
Code	Name	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
NA	Isle of Anglesey	350	352	353	356	351	313	327	293	311	272	304	287	290
NC	Gwynedd	598	603	556	603	586	559	535	482	561	521	484	466	465
NE	Conwy	611	591	529	556	578	556	514	541	527	552	482	486	496
NG	Denbighshire	475	475	451	482	469	400	452	463	455	443	395	412	382
NJ	Flintshire	666	686	674	676	652	631	633	653	547	620	573	544	504
NL	Wrexham	605	598	609	665	574	617	593	589	536	564	525	482	526
NN	Powys	578	611	559	588	575	597	531	515	558	520	470	504	496
NQ	Ceredigion	315	314	329	337	296	310	285	266	263	298	256	229	266
NS	Pembrokeshire	560	561	567	547	550	562	518	509	546	510	457	507	511
NU	Carmarthenshire	961	943	976	958	884	971	904	866	821	810	737	810	755
NX	Swansea	1140	1171	1124	1185	1099	1123	1073	1082	1043	959	978	929	890
NZ	Neath Port Talbot	792	812	802	814	803	750	736	710	663	662	637	618	581
PB	Bridgend	712	667	673	698	660	670	596	632	620	625	547	502	520
PD	The Vale of Glamorgan	544	555	507	505	535	506	488	516	473	472	448	390	436
PF	Rhondda, Cynon, Taff	1391	1355	1277	1404	1276	1360	1284	1225	1170	1174	1069	1036	1045
PH	Merthyr Tydfil	353	361	341	400	383	358	349	332	315	323	319	257	264
PK	Caerphilly	855	840	879	887	867	860	857	841	818	765	816	751	743
PL	Blaenau Gwent	485	430	444	407	432	428	411	376	360	400	336	357	329
PM	Torfaen	525	461	473	502	489	448	437	447	402	425	415	407	374
PP	Monmouthshire	365	366	390	348	399	356	362	340	337	328	290	334	316
PR	Newport	689	670	704	682	711	649	620	657	600	613	566	583	554
PT	Cardiff	1,471	1,342	1,330	1,418	1,321	1,351	1,267	1,285	1,176	1,221	1,167	1,082	1,044

⁽⁴⁴⁾ Deaths of usual residents registered in each year, based on boundaries as at April 2001.

20 Nov 2003 : Column 1331W

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