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Inland Revenue
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account is taken of best practice in relation to dealing with people with disabilities in leaflets produced by the Inland Revenue. [150415]
Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue advertises the availability of leaflets in different formats on their internet site and in most leaflets. Some leaflets, such as the one about blind person's allowance, follow RNIB guidelines as standard.
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Inland Revenue has to introduce a leaflet available (a) in hard copy and (b) on the Inland Revenue website explaining revenue help for those with special needs and indicating the main areas of tax legislation giving reliefs for those with disabilities. [150417]
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Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue are researching the most appropriate methods, including leaflets, of effectively publicising the help available to those with special needs. The Inland Revenue have been working with the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group on this issue.
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Orderline of the Inland Revenue is able to (a) take orders for large print editions of the most commonly requested leaflets and forms and (b) arrange for delivery on request. [150420]
Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue are researching the most appropriate routes, including the Orderline, for taxpayers with special needs to obtain material in different formats. Currently they are asked to contact their Inland Revenue office or local Inland Revenue Enquiry Centre, if they require specialised products.
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) large print, (b) audio and (c) braille products are available on request from the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement. [150421]
Dawn Primarolo: Yes, large print, audio and braille products are available on request from the Inland Revenue. Currently the Inland Revenue are researching the most appropriate routes, including the Orderline, Inland Revenue offices and Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres, for taxpayers with special needs to obtain material in different formats.
Local Authority Housing Debt (Scotland)
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much local authority housing debt he has written off to date under the special stock transfer arrangements for Scotland. [149644]
Mr. Boateng: Under the stock transfer arrangements, which are broadly similar to those in England, £1,055 million has been provided to repay local authority housing debt.
National Savings
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many National Savings Ordinary Accounts have been (a) opened and (b) closed in each of the last five years for which records are available. [149484]
Ruth Kelly: The number of National Savings and Investments Ordinary Accounts opened and closed in each of the last five years is as follows:
| Year | Number opened | Number closed |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 228,432 | 436,295 |
| 2000 | 235,293 | 440,686 |
| 2002 | 216,057 | 445,067 |
| 2002 | 197,938 | 449,447 |
| 2003 | 201,169 | 415,840 |
Tax Collection
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what targets he has set for securing additional tax
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revenue from investigations under (a) the IR35 regulation and (b) section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 regulation. [R] [149806]
Dawn Primarolo: The Chancellor has not set any targets for securing additional tax revenue from investigations under the intermediaries legislation or Section 660A Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place to monitor the progress of investigations under (a) the IR35 regulation and (b) section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 regulation. [R] [149807]
Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has procedures in place to monitor all enquiry work including the intermediaries legislation and S660A Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. These procedures include regular reviews by the case officers and their line managers plus reviews by more senior officers in certain cases.
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what penalties exist for late payment of tax; and how many times in each of the last five years these penalties have been used; [R] [149808]
- (2) how many fines have been imposed for late payment of taxes in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [R] [149811]
Dawn Primarolo: Whilst tax paid late might attract interest or surcharge, the tax legislation does not impose penalties or fines for late payment of tax.
Tax Avoidance
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that companies do not avoid paying tax in the UK; and if he will make a statement; [R] [149815]
- (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that individuals do not avoid their tax responsibilities; and if he will make a statement. [R] [149816]
Dawn Primarolo: This Government are committed to tackling avoidance of tax and has introduced a number of anti-avoidance measures. We continue to monitor the position and shall not hesitate to introduce further legislation to protect the tax base when it is necessary to do so.
Working Tax Credit
Mr. Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for the working tax credit by (a) single persons and (b) couples without children there are in each region and nation of the UK; and if he will estimate how many will be eligible in each (i) region and (ii) country of the UK. [149641]
Dawn Primarolo: The number of couples and single adults receiving Child and Working Tax Credits in each country within the United Kingdom and in each region of England is shown at Table 8.1 of "Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. October 2003", which is on the Inland Revenue web site at www.inlandrevenue.aov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.
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Estimates for January 2004 will be published on 30 January 2004. No estimates will be available of the take-up rate of these tax credits until the Family Resources Survey for 2003–04 becomes available.
HEALTH
Infertility
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) by what means the Government will ensure implementation of the forthcoming National Institute for Clinical Excellence clinical guidance on the treatment and management of infertility; [147739]
- (2) whether it is the Government's policy that infertility services should be made available on the NHS to all those with a clinical need. [147740]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The second draft of the guideline produced by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) was published on 26 August 2003. NICE is considering comments made on that draft. It would not be appropriate to comment on implementation until NICE publishes its final guideline.
Bristol Royal Infirmary (Heart Surgery Inquiry)
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will now respond substantively to recommendations 192 to 197 of the Report of the Public Inquiry into Children's Heart Surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. [149268]
Dr. Ladyman: These recommendations were considered by the paediatric and congenital cardiac services review group which was established in March 2001. The report of the review group, which was published on 18 December 2003, offered advice on ways to ensure that standards are maintained and improved, based on the recommendations from this Inquiry. The report has been placed in the Library and is available on the Department of Health's website at www.doh.gsi.gov.uk/childcardiac
The review group did not support recommendation 197 that surgical services for children with very rare congenital heart conditions, or involving procedures undertaken very rarely, should only be performed in a maximum of two units and instead made their own recommendations for introducing new procedures.
With one exception, a recommendation to only keep centres carrying out at least 300 operations per year, the Government accepted all the review group's recommendations.
Care Homes
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been commissioned by the National Care Standards Commission to inspect care homes for the elderly; and what the full-time equivalent is. [149797]
Dr. Ladyman: The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) does not commission inspectors or inspections. It fulfils its statutory inspection duty by
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employing 1,501 inspectors. This is the full-time equivalent of 1,414 people. In addition, the NCSC employs 79 locums.
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