Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Jan 2004 : Column 1018Wcontinued
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the case for changes in the basis of air passenger duty from payment per passenger to payment per flight, and for relating it to the
19 Jan 2004 : Column 1019W
amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants produced during the flight; and if he will make a statement. [147831]
John Healey: The use of economic instruments to encourage the aviation industry to take account of and, where appropriate, reduce its contribution to global warming, local air pollution and noise pollution was considered in the Air Transport White Paper, published in December 2003. The White Paper supported widened use of airport charges linked to the level of local noise and air pollutant emissions. In addition, we announced that, as part of the Government's commitment to using economic instruments to help tackle greenhouse gas emissions, the UK will push hard at international level to secure agreement on including aviation in the EU's emissions trading scheme.
Levels of all taxes, including air passenger duty, are reviewed Budget-by-Budget, taking account of a range of social, economic and environmental considerations.
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the need for a risk warning to be attached to (a) all financial products and (b) documentation about pensions. [148381]
Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority requires regulated financial products to be promoted in a manner that is clear, fair and not misleading.
In particular, for investment products it requires firms to adequately describe the risks involved. In the case of personal and stakeholder pensions, it specifically requires firms to explain those risks to the consumer before the product is bought.
The Department of Trade and Industry is currently consulting on the provision of risk warnings for consumers as part of its ongoing review of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to develop a substitute eligibility test for working tax credit fast-track; [148388]
Dawn Primarolo: There are no plans to change the eligibility rules. As with other issues, we continue to keep the policy under review.
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the change in the level of unemployment in the Warrington North constituency has been since 1997. [148248]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
19 Jan 2004 : Column 1020W
Letter from Colin Mowl to Helen Jones dated 19 January 2004:
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proposed early departure payments for members of the Armed Forces which will replace pension payments will attract national insurance contributions. [147575]
Dawn Primarolo: The early departure payments will not attract national insurance contributions, since they will be made under a statutory scheme and would not be considered as earnings derived from employment.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which banks have a licence to operate in the UK; and when each received its licence. [149498]
Ruth Kelly: Under the Financial Services and Markets Act (2000), banks, building societies and credit unions are authorised by the Financial Services Authority to accept deposits in the UK.
Details of the banks and other institutions which are authorised with permission to accept deposits in the UK and the date when they received authorisation can be found on the Financial Services Authority's website (www.fsa.qov.uk).
Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer per year of increasing by 100 per cent. the rate of child tax credit in respect of children under five. [148619]
Dawn Primarolo: The annual cost would be approximately £3 billion per year.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Buckingham constituency (a) have applied for, (b) are eligible for and (c) received the child tax credit in 200304. [149191]
Dawn Primarolo: The estimated number of families receiving tax credits in the Buckingham constituency at 3 July 2003 is shown in "Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical analysesJuly 2003", which is on the Inland Revenue website at: www. inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.
19 Jan 2004 : Column 1021W
htm. The estimates are based on a sample of cases, and are subject to sampling uncertainty. Estimates for January 2004 will be published on 30 January 2004.
No estimates are available at the constituency level of the number of people who have claimed tax credits or who are eligible for them.
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on what dates he has met Scottish Ministers to discuss the Citizen Information Project and its implications for Scotland; [147920]
(3) whether the Office for National Statistics' Citizen Information Project will cover information held by offices and agencies responsible to the Scottish Executive; [147922]
(4) which parts of the Citizen Information Project's current work programme includes matters of responsibility for the Scottish Executive; and what reporting procedures have been put in place for this work. [147923]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger to Ms Annabelle Ewing, dated 19 January 2004:
19 Jan 2004 : Column 1022W
Next Section | Index | Home Page |