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19 May 2004 : Column 991W—continued
ICT Training
Mr. Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his budget is for staff training in information and communication technology in this financial year. [173715]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested is not readily available and would be available only at a disproportionate cost.
Lambert Review
John Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to implement Recommendation 6.2 of the Lambert Review of Business University collaboration; and if he will make a statement. [174184]
John Healey: The final report of the Lambert Review, an independent review of business-university collaboration, was published in December 2003 and made a series of recommendations aimed at improving the links between the UK's strong science base and the business community. The Government are strongly supportive of the analysis in the report and recognise the importance of this policy agenda.
The Government believe that Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are well-placed to promote business-university collaboration but recognise that they need capacity and links to national programmes to do this effectively. The RDAs also have a role to play in facilitating cross-regional collaborative activity.
The Government intend to develop the main policy reforms put forward in the Lambert Review in the context of the 10-year investment framework on science and innovation. The Government's final response to the Lambert Review will be published this summer as part of this 10-year investment framework.
19 May 2004 : Column 992W
Museums
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to give the same VAT tax privileges to university museums as those that apply to other museums [174335]
John Healey: Under normal VAT rules, VAT incurred on goods and services relating to non-business activities cannot be recovered. Free admission of persons to premises is a non-business activity for VAT purposes, therefore museums which do not charge for admission cannot recover the VAT they incur on related purchases. These principles apply irrespective of the source of the funding used to make the purchases.
In September 2001, the Government introduced a VAT refund scheme that allows the main national museums and galleries which do not charge admission to recover VAT they incur on related purchases. This scheme is designed to remove the obstacle VAT was creating to the delivery of the Government's 1997 manifesto commitment that there should be free access to the main national museums and galleries.
As the Chancellor announced in his Budget statement this year the commitment to achieve free access has been an outstanding success. Building on that success, and in light of the Goodison Review, the Government are considering in the context of the forthcoming spending review the issue of extending the free access commitment for the main national museums and galleries, and the VAT refund scheme that has helped to deliver it, to university museums.
Overseas Aid
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much funding he has made available for overseas aid in each year since 2000. [173857]
John Healey: Since 2000 the following amounts have been made available each year by the Government for the UK's official development assistance:
| £ billion | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 3.0 |
| 2001–02 | 3.2 |
| 2002–03 | 3.3 |
| 2003–04 | 3.8 |
Source:
OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and Statistics on International Development 1998–99 to 2002–03.
Sport Utility Vehicles
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will examine the recent steps taken by the German states to increase the tax on sport utility vehicles to assess the potential environmental effects of similar provisions in the United Kingdom. [173144]
John Healey
[holding answer 14 May 2004]: The Government keep all taxation policy under review. Any changes to taxation policy are announced by the Chancellor in the context of his annual Budget statement.
19 May 2004 : Column 993W
TRANSPORT
Dibden Bay
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government Office for the South East has to initiate discussions with appropriate authorities to determine the future (a) investment and (b) infrastructure needs of the Port of Southampton following the decision on Dibden Bay; and if he will make a statement. [173214]
Mr. Jamieson:
It is for the Port of Southampton to determine their own future investment and
19 May 2004 : Column 994W
infrastructure needs in discussion with the appropriate authorities, as they see fit. The Government Office for the South East would be pleased to discuss any proposals for the Port with those responsible for its development.
British Transport Police
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from how many police stations the British Transport Police operate; and what the manning levels were at each station in each year since 1997. [171900]
Mr. McNulty: The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information:
Note:
Midland and South Western Areas were merged to form Western Area in 2003–04.
19 May 2004 : Column 997W
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Transport Police officers in London are (a) trained and (b) equipped to handle major terrorist biological attacks. [171903]
Mr. McNulty: For security reasons actual numbers of trained and equipped officers cannot be revealed. However, the BTP is currently in excess of double the target number set by the Home Office for all forces regarding numbers of officers to be trained for a chemical, biological, nuclear or radiological attack both in terms of forcewide and in London.
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