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8 Jun 2004 : Column 376W—continued
Registrar Records
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what back-up systems are in place for the records held on computers by registrars of births, marriages and deaths; and if he will make a statement; [177002]
(2) what measures are taken against possible abuse of records held by registrars of births, marriages and deaths; and if he will make a statement. [177003]
Ruth Kelly:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Registrar General for England and Wales, who has been asked to reply.
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Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Laurence Robertson, dated 8 June 2004:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions concerning what back-up exists for the records held on computers by registrars of births, marriages and deaths and what measures are taken against possible abuse of records held by registrars of births, marriages and deaths. (177002,177003)
Every birth, death and marriage in England and Wales is registered locally in a register book. The Registrar General maintains a central archive of each registration created from paper certified copies of the original record. The certified copies are microfilmed to enable certificates to be issued by the General Register Office. The register entries and the central archive are the legal records of the event.
Since the early 1990's part of the registration process has been computerised to facilitate the collection of the information and the local printing of certificates. The computer records are backed up locally and copies are sent weekly to the Registrar General.
The information to be recorded by registrars of births, deaths and marriages is set out in statute and entered into a bound register book. Registers are kept locally in a secure fireproof store. In order to maintain the integrity of the records a register entry may be amended only by an authorised official and by the means set out in statute. The Registrar General maintains a central archive of all registrations made and any amendment made locally has to be duplicated in the central archive.
Tax Credits
Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total expenditure on advertisements for tax credits has been since their inception. [176230]
Dawn Primarolo: Advertising expenditure on tax credits was £12.5 million in 2002–03 and £11.4 million in 2003–04.
For earlier years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 13 June 2002, Official Report, column 1397W.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to be the costs of administering the (a) children's tax credit, (b) child tax credit, (c) working families tax credit, (d) working tax credit and (e) family credit in each year since 1997–98; and what his projected expenditure on administration costs for each credit is in each future year for which figures are available. [177489]
Dawn Primarolo: The costs of managing and paying working families and disabled person's tax credits are shown in the Inland Revenue Trust Accounts, at Note 3 for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 and at Note 4 for 2002–03. A broad estimate of the annual cost of administering the child and working tax credits appears in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published on 15 July 2002. The actual cost in 2003–04 will appear in the Trust Account for that year.
I understand from the Department of Work and Pensions that the estimated annual costs for family credit in Great Britain are given in the Annual Reports of the former Department of Social Security. The administration of the children's tax credit for 2001–02 and 2002–03 was part of the Inland Revenue's routine work and was not separately identified in running costs.
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Transport Emissions
Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rules and guidelines cover the recent modifications to the Office of National Statistics report on emissions and the information added on the website relating to aviation and road freight emissions. [177267]
Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mrs. Virginia Bottomley, dated 8 June 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on modifications to the ONS Environmental Accounts report. (177267)
The information on greenhouse gas emissions from transport were not removed from the ONS Environmental Accounts report published on 20 May 2004. The report was never altered from the version originally prepared by professional statisticians within ONS, and is publicly available on the National Statistics website.
The focus of the accompanying News Release changed during drafting, as there were some unresolved statistical concerns over the reconciliation of road freight emissions figures using alternative definitions. Given these concerns, it was decided that it would not be appropriate for the News Release to focus upon transport emissions as had been intended. This decision was taken independently by senior Government statisticians, as a matter of professional judgement.
The circumstances surrounding this decision are explained in a letter that I sent to David Rowlands (Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport) on 28 May. This letter is available on the website of the Statistics Commission at: http://www.statscom.org.uk/media pdfs/correspondence/letter0189.pdf
The ONS operates in accordance with the "Framework for National Statistics" and follows the principles and procedures set out in the "National Statistics Code of Practice" and its supporting "Protocols". One of the key principles within the "Code of Practice" states that National Statistics will be "fit for purpose and of high quality". Our concerns about the reconciliation of the emissions data led us to make the professional judgement that these measures, while of publishable quality, were not fit for the purpose of being the focus of a high-profile news release.
"The Framework for National Statistics" also states that National Statistics must "be produced and presented without political interference". The Environmental Accounts report was produced and released fully in accordance with this principle.
Travellers
Andrew Selous: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1461–62W, on travellers, what assessment of the risk of non-compliance in relation to the payment of income tax and VAT has been made in respect of unauthorised traveller developments in (a) England and Wales and (b) South Bedfordshire. [176835]
John Healey:
Risk assessment is not carried out by demographic or socio-economic group. Therefore, no specific assessment of the risk of non-compliance in relation to the payment of VAT or income tax has been made in respect of unauthorised traveller developments.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the transfer of pension rights and benefits under TUPE for members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme into the Industry Wide Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme complied fully with Article 3 of the EU Acquired Rights Directive; and if she will make a statement. [176636]
Nigel Griffiths: I am advised that, in accordance with Article 3 of the EU Acquired Rights Directive occupational pension rights—specifically old age, invalidity or survivors' benefits—are excluded from the operation of TUPE.
However, recent rulings by the European Court of Justice may have implications on whether early retirement benefits on redundancy are excluded from TUPE protection. Interpreting the ECJ ruling in relation to British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) members and their current employers is a matter for the Pensions Ombudsman and the courts.
The Government already funds the early retirement benefits on redundancy for members of the BCSSS.
Business Support
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses were helped by each Business Link operator in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in 2001–02 [177127]
Nigel Griffiths: In 2001–02 there was one Business Link Operator in London, Business Link for London. In 2001–02 14,980 business were assisted.
The breakdown in boroughs is approximately as follows:
8 Jun 2004 : Column 380W
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses in Greater London increased their net profit above £15,000 in each year since 1997; and what the percentage change was in each year. [177129]
Nigel Griffiths: I regret that this information is not available.
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