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2 Dec 2003 : Column 37W—continued
Suicides
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suicides per 100,000 of the relevant population there were in each year since 1990 (a) in total, (b) for women, (c) for men and (d) for men under the age of 30; and if he will make a statement. [141111]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 2 December 2003:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many suicides there were per 100,000 people in each year since 1990 (a) in total, (b) for women, (c) for men and (d) for men under the age of 30. (141111)
- The most recent available mortality data are for the calendar year 2002 and cover England and Wales. The attached table contains suicide rates for each year from 1990 to 2002.
| (a) Total(5) | (b) Women(6) | (c) Men(6) | (d) Men aged under 30(7) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.5 | 6.8 | 20.4 | 18.7 |
| 1991 | 10.4 | 6.5 | 20.5 | 18.0 |
| 1992 | 10.4 | 6.4 | 20.4 | 17.9 |
| 1993 | 9.9 | 6.1 | 19.4 | 17.5 |
| 1994 | 9.6 | 5.6 | 19.3 | 18.8 |
| 1995 | 9.7 | 5.9 | 19.1 | 17.8 |
| 1996 | 9.1 | 5.6 | 18.0 | 17.1 |
| 1997 | 9.3 | 5.7 | 18.4 | 18.6 |
| 1998 | 9.6 | 5.5 | 19.4 | 18.9 |
| 1999 | 9.6 | 5.7 | 19.2 | 17.4 |
| 2000 | 9.1 | 5.7 | 17.8 | 16.1 |
| 2001 | 8.6 | 5.1 | 17.1 | 14.1 |
| 2002 | 8.6 | 5.3 | 16.8 | 13.7 |
(2) Age-standardised to the European standard population.
(3) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (1CD-9) codes E950-E959 and E980-E989 excluding E988.8 for the years 1990 to 2000, and, for the year 2001 and 2002, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34 excluding Y33.9 where the Coroner's verdict was pending.
(4) Figures are for deaths registered per calendar year from 1990 to 1992 and for deaths occurring per calendar year from 1993 onwards.
(5) Persons of all ages.
(6) Aged 15 and over.
(7) Aged between 15 and 29.
Tax Credits
Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information existing child tax credit and working tax credit recipients will be required to submit in order to support a 2004–05 award; when that information will be requested; how recipients will be informed of the requirement. [141523]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Richard Burden) on 19 November 2003, Official Report, columns 1099–1100W.
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Income Tax
Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional revenue would be raised from the residents of (a) each of the district councils in Dorset and (b) the Bournemouth and Poole unitary authorities for every penny increase in the basic rate of income tax. [141513]
Dawn Primarolo: The requested information is given in the table.
| (a) District councils in Dorset | |
| Christchurch | 1.9 |
| East Dorset | 4.2 |
| North Dorset | 2.3 |
| Purbeck | 1.7 |
| West Dorset | 4.2 |
| Weymouth and Portland | 4.2 |
| (b) Bournemouth and Poole unitary authorities | 14.5 |
Estimates are based upon the 2000–01 Survey of Personal Incomes. The effects of the illustrative changes can be scaled up or down over a reasonably wide range. The results exclude any behavioral response to the tax change.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the revenue from (a) income tax and (b) corporation tax was in each tax year since 1996–97 in (i) current and (ii) real terms using 1996–97 as the base. [141201]
Dawn Primarolo: Income tax and corporation tax receipts in current terms are published on the Inland Revenue website www.inlandrevenue.qov.uk/stats/tax receipts/031 R12.pdf.
Receipts in real terms can be calculated using GDP deflators. The Treasury publishes GDP deflators on the HM Treasury website at
- www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic data and tools/gdp,deflators/data gdp index.cfm.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase in the basic rate of tax would be needed to raise (a) £80 million and (b) £120 million in the current year from the income tax payers of Newcastle upon Tyne. [141202]
Dawn Primarolo: The yield from increasing the basic rate of income tax in 2000–01 by 1p in Newcastle upon Tyne is £10 million. This result can be scaled up to see the effects of higher increases but would exclude any behavioural response to the tax change. This estimate is based upon the 2000–01 Survey of Personal Incomes.
Timber
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what means the policy for purchasing timber and timber products of (a) the Treasury, (b) the Debt Management Office, (c) the Office for National Statistics, (d) the Royal Mint and (e) the Valuation Office ensure that they are obtained from legal and sustainable sources. [141331]
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Ruth Kelly: All suppliers are provided with a clear statement of the Government's commitment to purchase timber and timber products from legally binding and sustainable sources. Suppliers are required, as a condition of contract, to produce evidence of these sustainable and legal timber sources.
Travel Passes
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether employees of Transport for London are liable to pay (a) income tax and (b) national insurance contributions on the market value of free travel passes issued to their nominees under the scheme operated by TfL. [141253]
Dawn Primarolo: Employees who receive free or cheap travel vouchers from their employer, for themselves or members of their families, will generally be taxable on the benefit by reference to the cost to the employer. There will also be a liability to class 1 (employer and employee) national insurance contributions.
DEFENCE
Dockyard Radiation Workers
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy (a) to ensure that the general practitioners of families of dockyard radiation workers are informed about the occupation and encouraged to enter it on the records of the children of these workers and (b) to ensure that (i) retired and (ii) former radiation workers have the opportunity of a radiation medical once a year through the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [140908]
Mr. Caplin: It is a matter for dockyard radiation workers to consider what information they offer to their GP about their employment. Decisions concerning what to record within medical records is a matter for professional judgment and for guidelines that may be provided by the Department of Health or the appropriate professional bodies or associations. Similarly decisions about whether to offer annual medical examinations to retired or ex-radiation workers through the NHS is a matter for the Department of Health.
The Ministry of Defence provides an independent counselling service for radiation workers, former radiation workers and their families who have concerns about their health consequent of their work with radiation. Individuals may request counselling by telephoning the Counselling Telephone line (02392 768098) and leaving their names and addresses or by writing to the MOD Counselling Registry at DSTL Radiological Protection Services, Crescent Road, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hants PO 12 2DL. Further details are available on the world wide web at http://www.mod.uk/dsef/hp/rwc.htm
Armed Forces Pensions
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) retired personnel and (b) widows in each of the three armed services have been identified as incorrectly paying tax on retired pay
2 Dec 2003 : Column 40W
and pensions awarded since 1952 on the grounds of disability attributable to or aggravated by service; and how many of these are (i) pre-1973 pensioners and (ii) post-1973 pensioners; [141090]
- (2) how many (a) retired personnel and (b) widows in each of the three armed services identified as incorrectly paying tax on retired pay and pensions awarded since 1952 on the grounds of disability attributable to or aggravated by service have received additional compensation; [141091]
(3) what criteria are used in determining additional compensation payments for retired personnel and widows of the three armed services identified as incorrectly paying tax on retired pay and pensions; [141092]
(4) if he will commission an independent inquiry into arrangements for paying compensation to retired personnel and widows of the three armed services identified as incorrectly paying tax on retired pay and pensions. [141093]
Mr. Caplin: The following table shows the total number of individuals identified as incorrectly paying tax on their armed forces invaliding pensions since 1952. Attributable pensions paid to widows are not tax free under Inland Revenue rules, though in some cases widows may have been the beneficiaries of refunds where the pensioner is deceased. These figures are broken down by service and by pre-73 and post 1973 pensioners.
| As at August 2003 | Royal Navy | Army | Royal Air Force | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-1973 | 57 | 300 | 13 | 370 |
| Post-1973 | 204 | 828 | 110 | 1,142 |
| Total | 261 | 1,128 | 123 | 1,512 |
Inland Revenue repayment supplement has already been paid on all tax refunds. The level of compensation to be paid to individuals affected by the tax error is a matter for the Department. I do not intend to commission an independent inquiry. Individuals who are unhappy with the Department's decision on additional compensation will be able to take their cases to the Pensions Ombudsman or to the courts. I intend to announce our decision with respect to additional compensation by 18 December.
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