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19 Apr 2004 : Column 379W—continued
Global Recovery
Sue Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how may copies of the Treasury summary leaflet, "Pre-Budget Report: the Strength to take long-term decisions for: Seizing the opportunities for global recovery", were distributed; to whom they were distributed; and what the cost was of (a) printing and (b) distribution. [166429]
19 Apr 2004 : Column 380W
Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave on 8 January 2004, Official Report, column 425W. Approximately 1.25 million copies of the 2003 Pre-Budget Report summary leaflet were distributed to individuals and to public organisations such as libraries, post offices, GP's surgeries, schools and universities.
Government Accounting Systems
Mr. Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many accounting systems are in use in central Government; and what plans he has to reduce the number of accounting systems across central Government. [165514]
Mr. Boateng: It is the responsibility of each body in central Government to maintain appropriate accounting systems. No central record is kept, but it is likely that most of these bodies will operate different systems.
The Office of Government Commerce are currently leading a project to produce a standard specification for accounting systems for central civil Government that will include the requirement for future systems to be usable by more than one organisation. More widely, the Efficiency Review is working with departments to develop proposals for consideration in the Spending Review to simplify and standardise back office functions and the systems that support them.
Household Income
John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the average (a) household debt per annum and (b) household monthly income in each year since 1997, broken down by region. [166071]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to John Thurso, dated 19 April 2004:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on average household debt per annum and monthly household income by region since 1997. (166071)
ONS does not compile regional estimates of household debt, or regional average monthly household income.
However, ONS does publish estimates annual regional gross disposable household income (GDHI) at current prices, per head of resident population as part of regional household accounts. GDHI is described under the European System of Accounts 1995 (ESA95). These estimates were last published on 26 March 2002 and are presented in the attached table. This data set runs from 1995 to 1999. The estimates are available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/article.asp?ID=128&Pos=2&ColRank=l&Rank=224
ONS hope to publish regional household accounts up to 2002 by the end of 2004, subject to resolving issues of data availability at regional level.
(134) Consistent with the 2001 National Accounts "Blue Book"
(135) Excludes GDHI from the "extra regio" category which covers the contribution to
GDHI from UK embassy staff and forces personnel stationed overseas.
Source:
Office for National Statistics
19 Apr 2004 : Column 381W
Landfill Tax
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications for business of the changes in the Budget to landfill tax. [166530R]
John Healey: This April's £1 per tonne rise increase in the standard rate of landfill tax is part of the landfill tax escalator announced in Budget 1999. The tax is designed to be revenue neutral for businesses. Its introduction was accompanied by a 0.2 per cent. cut in employers' national insurance contributions. In addition, in Budget 2003 the Government said that incremental increases in landfill tax from 2005 would be revenue neutral to business. A number of options are now being examined, and consultation with stakeholders is continuing.
Nannies (Disabled Children)
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the tax relief on the employment of nannies to parents with disabled offspring. [166115]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government announced in Budget 2004, a new voluntary scheme that will enable a range of providers of good quality childcare to get approval allowing more working parents access to financial support. This will help working parents to meet their child care costs, including those who employ nannies to look after disabled children, by extending the range of childcare that is eligible for the child care element of working tax credit. Child care approved under the new scheme will also be eligible for the new tax and national insurance exemption on £50 a week of employer-contracted child care or employer-provided child care vouchers announced in the 2003 pre-Budget report.
The Department for Education and Skills will consult on proposals for the scheme in summer 2004 for implementation in April 2005.
National Tax Agency
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what role is envisaged for (a) drug enforcement and (b) drugs policy in the new National Tax Agency. [166108]
John Healey:
Customs border detection staff will become part of the new combined Customs and Inland Revenue department and will continue to enforce as now the full range of import/export prohibitions and restrictions at the frontier including in respect of drugs.
19 Apr 2004 : Column 382W
The policy work in respect of the full range of controls, it exercises at the frontier will also remain with the new department.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the objectives are of the modernisation plan being implemented by the Office for National Statistics; what the expected date of completion of implementation is; if he will make a statement on progress; and what the estimated cost is. [164747]
Mr. Boateng: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mark Hoban, dated 19 April 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what the objectives are of the modernisation plan being implemented by the Office for National Statistics; what the expected date of completion of implementation is; and what the estimated cost is. (164747)
The ONS was created in 1995 from the merger of three smaller organisations. The new organisation inherited:
Different computer systems that are not fully compatible with each other and which are gradually becoming out-of-date and difficult to support.
Different statistical tools requiring a large quantity of software licenses and support.
Different methodologies and practices.
The objective of the Modernisation Programme is to relocate these disparate systems into a robust, shared and enduring technical environment, supported by an agreed set of common statistical tools and methods. Where necessary, this process will involve the redesign of statistical systems to ensure that the quality, accessibility and efficiency benefits are optimised. This will increase the value of ONS's statistics and also improve the service it can offer to customers.
In the Spending Review 2002, Her Majesty's Treasury allocated £75 million over the period 2003–04 to 2005–06. Completion of the work package associated with this funding is therefore expected in 2006, although it is likely that further modernisation activity will take place in later years. The £75million allocation included £5million for 2003–04 to begin work, and undertake detailed planning and preparation, which has been done.
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