| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Apr 2004 : Column 27W—continued
Tax Avoidance
Mr. McFall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount of revenue lost as a result of tax avoidance has been in each financial year since 1997, broken down by (a) VAT, (b) corporate taxation and (c) personal taxation. [161857]
John Healey: In "Protecting Indirect Tax Revenues", published alongside the 2003 Pre-Budget report, a copy of which is available in the Library, HM Customs and Excise published a broad estimate of the scale of VAT avoidance as part of its wider historic estimates of revenue losses arising from VAT avoidance, fraud and non-compliance over the last decade. Because of the inherently more difficult exercise of estimating revenue losses from non-consumption taxes, it has not yet been possible to produce an accurate estimate of the losses arising from avoidance of corporate or personal taxation.
Mr. McFall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which companies are known to be selling or to have sold versions of the gilts scheme used to reduce income tax bills; how many individuals and companies are known to be using or to have used the scheme; and how much revenue is involved in each case. [161861]
Dawn Primarolo:
This was a highly abusive tax avoidance scheme involving the deliberate generation of losses on the purchase and re-sale of Government gilt strips for the purpose of reducing income tax bills, which the Inland Revenue quickly identified and acted against. However, at this stage it is not possible with complete accuracy to identify all those who sold the scheme, the numbers of individuals and companies who used the scheme or the value of revenue involved.
19 Apr 2004 : Column 28W
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Looked-after Children
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many looked-after children there have been in England in each year since 1994; and what proportion of children have been continuously looked after for at least 12 months. [158065]
Margaret Hodge: The number of children looked after at 31 March for each year since 1994, and the percentage looked after continuously for at least 12 months are shown in the table.
Year | Number of children looked after at 31 March 2 | Percentage looked after continuously for at least 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 49,100 | 69 |
| 1995 | 49,500 | 67 |
| 1996 | 50,600 | 67 |
| 1997 | 51,200 | 69 |
| 1998 | 53,300 | 69 |
| 1999 | 55,500 | 70 |
| 2000 | 58,100 | 70 |
| 2001 | 58,900 | 73 |
| 2002 | 59,700 | 73 |
| 2003 | 60,800 | Not available(19) |
(17) Figures in this table exclude children under an agreed series of short term placements.
(18) Figures rounded to the nearest 100.
(19) The percentage of children looked after continuously for at least 12 months is derived from the SSDA 903 return. Figures for the year ending March 2003 will be available on 31 March 2004.
Source:
CLA 100 and SSDA 903 statistical returns
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of looked-after children received an annual health assessment in each year since 1994. [158070]
Margaret Hodge: Information on the percentage of looked-after children who have received an annual health assessment was not collected centrally between 1994 and 1999. The percentages since 2000 are shown as follows.
Figures for the year ending 30 September 2003 are expected to be published at national level on 29 April and, at local authority level towards the end of May 2004.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 65 |
| 2001 | 68 |
| 2002 | 71 |
Source:
OC2 return
Physical Education
Tim Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children in
19 Apr 2004 : Column 29W
England spent (a) one hour or less, (b) between one and two hours and (c) over three hours per week on physical education in 2003. [165574]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested. "The Impact of School Sport Partnerships" (published in March 2004 by DfES and DCMS) set out the early funding of the 2003–04 PE, School Sport and Club Links survey. Overall 61 per cent. of pupils in phase 1 school sport partnership schools spend two hours in a typical week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. A copy of the report has been placed in the House of Commons Library. The results of the full survey will be published later this month.
Sure Start
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the level of Sure Start expenditure in the Stroud constituency was in 2003–04. [164167]
Margaret Hodge: £2.192 million has been allocated to Gloucestershire for general Sure Start grant activities in 2003–04. Gloucestershire county council does not collect information on how this funding is allocated on a district basis.
A further £646,000 has been allocated to the Mini Sure Start local programme and neighbourhood nursery in Stroud. The Mini Sure Start local programme (Cam and Dursley) received a revenue grant of £120,000 to support the delivery of outreach and health services, family support and adult education. This programme is linked to a 50 place neighbourhood nursery (Treetops Nursery) which opened on 26 March 2004. Sure Start has contributed £256,000 in capital funding towards the nursery's integrated education and care facilities. We are also providing start up revenue grant funds of £270,000, available over three years to help ensure the nursery is firmly established.
Accommodation
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what sources of public funding are available to cover the cost of accommodation while studying for a single, childless, full-time further education student, studying for a non-degree course, and living independently of parental support in local authority accommodation. [164627]
Alan Johnson: The focus of the public support that my Department provides for the accommodation costs of students in further education is on those whose course of study makes it necessary for them to live away from home. Bursaries are available for students attending six residential colleges and for those on specialist courses at colleges of agriculture, horticulture, art and design. A related scheme for students at other colleges who need to undertake courses at level 3 or above, or have a particular employment related learning need is at the pilot stage.
Students who do not qualify for a bursary may be eligible for a Career Development Loan, which can cover living expenses as well as the costs of tuition if the course is full time.
19 Apr 2004 : Column 30W
As far as those in receipt of Housing Benefit is concerned, both DfES and the Department for Work and Pensions recognise that the '16 hour rule', whereby income related benefits should only be provided for those in work, or those unable to work, can create difficulties for some people who wish to participate in full time further education. The situation is being monitored through the DWP Hardest to Help Delivery Plan, and DfES and DWP are working together to streamline the arrangements for supporting those in learning.
Adoption and Children Act
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what preparations are being made for the implementation of section 122 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 by the end of 2004. [164114]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 30 March 2004]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 178W.
I wish to use this opportunity to clarify something I said to the hon. Member at the Westminster Hall debate on 23 October 2003. The Department for Constitutional Affairs will be consulting on the court rules for placement and adoption this spring. The regulations, court rules and guidance should be in place by the end of 2004. Section 122 is included in this package. After a period for preparation and training, we expect the legislation to come into force in September 2005.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |