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18 Jun 2004 : Column 1133W—continued
Council Tax Benefit
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people (a) have claimed and (b) are eligible for council tax benefit in Greater London, broken down by borough, in each of the last three years. [179357]
Mr. Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. Estimates of the number of entitled non-recipients are not available below national level. The national level estimates can be found in a series of DWP reports entitled "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up". The latest publication relates to the financial year 2001–02; copies of this and previous reports are available from the Library.
The available information is in the table.
Notes:
1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
2. The figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.
3. Council tax benefit totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
4. Figures include estimates for non-responding local authorities.
Source:
Housing benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in February 2002, 2003 and 2004.
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CABINET OFFICE
Departmental Responsibilities
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what mechanisms exist to distinguish between those matters which are his Department's responsibilities and those which are directly those of the Prime Minister. [179463]
Mr. Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 14 June 2004, Official Report, column 703W.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
All-postal Ballots
Mr. Amess: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate he has made of extra costs arising from problems with distribution of ballot papers in regions for which all-postal ballots are being held for elections on 10 June. [178403]
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Mr. Leslie: Returning officers have the contractual relationship with suppliers of ballot packs. They will be submitting claims for their costs of the all-postal ballots to the Elections Claims Unit in due course. When those claims have been received, it will be possible to make an estimate of any costs falling to Returning Officers arising from any problems with printing and distribution.
Environmental Cases
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) how many applications for judicial review relating to environmental matters were granted permission to proceed in each year since 1997; and what proportion of the total number of applications this represented in each year; [179559]
(2) how many applications there were for judicial review in the High Court relating to environmental matters in each year since 1997; and what proportion of the total number of applications this represented in each year; [179560]
(3) how many cases relating to environmental matters were granted leave to appeal to the House of Lords in each year since 1997; and what proportion of the total number of cases heard by the legal committee of the House of Lords this represented in each year; [179561]
(4) how many cases relating to environmental matters were granted leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal in each year since 1997; and what proportion of the total number of appeals to the Court of Appeal this represented in each year. [179562]
Mr. Leslie: The Administrative Court Office's case management system does not identify cases by the category of "environmental" matters. The Administrative Court cannot therefore provide the information requested without incurring disproportionate costs.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Greyhounds
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many greyhounds were bred for racing in the UK in 2003. [179233]
Mr. Caborn: There are no precise figures available for the number of greyhounds bred for racing in the UK in 2003.
However, 10,709 greyhounds were registered with the English Stud Book in 2003.
Licensed Premises
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licensed premises serving alcohol in England there were in each year since 1997. [179432]
Mr. Caborn:
Statistics on the number of licensed premises and clubs serving alcohol are collected on a triennial basis. Figures are available for 1998 and 2001—all figures are as at 30 June.
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| 1998 | 2001 | |
|---|---|---|
| On licence | 104,057 | 102,551 |
| Off licence | 42,462 | 41,742 |
| Registered clubs | 21,084 | 20,487 |
| Theatres | 262 | 201 |
| Total | 167,865 | 164,981 |
The collection of figures for 2004 is currently under way.
Pre-owned Assets
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Treasury on tax on pre-owned assets. [179180]
Mr. Caborn: Changes to the taxation regime are a question for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Measures to amend the tax treatment of pre-owned assets, intended to deter abuse of the inheritance tax "gift with reservation" rules, were announced on 10 December 2003 in the pre-Budget report.
The Minister for Media and Heritage—my right hon. Friend, Lord McIntosh of Haringey—wrote to the Paymaster-General in February to ensure that consequences for heritage assets were taken into account in the detailed workings of the income tax charge on pre-owned assets.
Details of the charge, and proposals for further consultation on valuation and the rates of return for chattels and intangibles, are included in Inland Revenue 'Budget Notice 40: Tax Treatment of Pre-Owned Assets'.
Racehorses
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many horses were bred for racing in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [179514]
Mr. Caborn: The numbers of thoroughbred horses bred for racing in the UK in each of the last five years is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 5,432 |
| 2002 | 5,156 |
| 2001 | 4,977 |
| 2000 | 5,194 |
| 1999 | 5,363 |
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
British Indian Ocean
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations were conducted by his Department before publication of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Immigration) Order 2004 and the British Indian Ocean Territory (Constitution) Order 2004. [179520]
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Mr. Rammell: Before the British Indian Ocean Territory (Constitution) Order 2004 and the British Indian Ocean Territory (Immigration) Order 2004 were submitted to Her Majesty the Queen in Council, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave very careful consideration to all relevant interests and concerns, including the feasibility of the re-settlement of a civilian population in the British Indian Ocean Territory and the likely financial and other commitments which that would entail, and also its impact on the availability and effective use of the territory for defence purposes.
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