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8 Jul 2004 : Column 815W—continued
Inward Investment (Scotland)
John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the levels of inward investment in Scotland for each year since 1990, broken down by source country. [181649]
Mr. Boateng: Scottish Development International is responsible for promoting inward investment in Scotland. This is a devolved function and therefore a matter for the Scottish Executive.
PFI Projects (Environmental Impact)
Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment his Department has made of the (a) sustainability and environmental impacts of private finance initiative projects and (b) the capability of the private finance initiative process to deliver environmentally sustainable projects; [181842]
(2) what plans he has to make private finance initiative contracts more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability. [181843]
Mr. Boateng:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Environment and Agri-Environment (Mr. Morley) gave on 25 May 2004, Official Report, column 1495W.
8 Jul 2004 : Column 816W
Red Diesel
Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it the policy of the Government to retain UK control over the tax and excise duty payable on red diesel; and if he will make a statement. [182590]
John Healey [holding answer 6 July 2004]: Taxation decisions are a matter for the Chancellor and are made after careful consideration of social, economic and environmental factors. The taxation of red diesel, as with all taxes, is regularly monitored and evaluated.
Savings Directive
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take account of the potential effects on (a) the British Virgin Islands and (b) other overseas territories which rely on their financial services industry of the proposed EU Savings Directive. [181832]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell) on 3 June 2003, Official Report, columns. 192–93W.
Stamp Duty
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue implication of restructuring stamp duty on residential property sales so as to charge marginal rates of (a) 0 per cent. on property sales of £120,000 or less, 3 per cent. on sales revenue between £120,000 and £249,999, 5 per cent. on sales revenue between £250,000 and £499,999, 7 per cent. on sales revenue of £500,000 and above, and (b) 0 per cent. on property sales of £120,000 or less, 3 per cent. on sales revenue between £120,000 and £249,999, 5 per cent. on sales revenue equal to £250,000 and above, 0 per cent. on property sales of £120,000 or less, 2 per cent. on property sales between £120,000 and £249,999 and 5 per cent. on sales revenue of £250,000 and above. [182736]
Ruth Kelly: The estimated revenue cost, in 2005–06, of restructuring stamp duty on residential property sales according to the three schemes described in the question is given in the following table:
| Price of residential property | Tax regime 1 marginal rates (%) | Tax regime 2 marginal rates (%) | Tax regime 3 marginal rates (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0-£119,999 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| £120,000-£249,999 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| £250,000-£499,999 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| £500,000 and above | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Revenue cost (million) | £570 | £850 | £1,440 |
This does not include any allowance for behavioural changes.
Unclaimed Assets
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition the Department uses of an unclaimed asset. [181995]
Ruth Kelly: There is currently no official definition in the UK of an unclaimed asset.
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Department has to assess the total value of unclaimed assets held by financial institutions in the United Kingdom. [182081]
Ruth Kelly:
The Government announced in the Budget that it supports the efforts of the financial services industry in trying to reunite unclaimed assets with their owners and that it believes that where assets and owners cannot be reunited, it is right that the assets be reinvested in society, as long as the original owners' entitlements to reclaim are preserved. The Government is looking to the industry to build on current momentum, and expand the scope of voluntary action into retail banking and the wider financial sector.
8 Jul 2004 : Column 817W
The Government will assess and report on progress at the time of the 2004 Pre-Budget Report.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Employment Tribunals
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cases against his Department, the agencies for which it is responsible and its predecessor organisations have been brought to employment tribunals in each year since 1997 in relation to (a) equal pay, (b) sex discrimination, (c) race discrimination, (d) disability discrimination and (e) unfair dismissal; how many cost awards were made against (i) respondents and (ii) applicants; and how much has been spent (A) settling and (B) contesting claims. [181463]
Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created in May 2002 and such information as might be provided by predecessor and linked organisations could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The information requested with regard to completed cases involving the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is as follows:
Four cases. No cost awards were made in any of the cases. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister agreed settlements totalling £750 in two cases. The two other cases were settled on terms that did not involve payment. The total amount spent on contesting these claims could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Two cases. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister successfully defended one case and the other case was settled on terms that did not involve payment. The total amount spent on contesting these claims could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
One case. The case was settled on terms that did not involve payment. The total amount spent on contesting these claims could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Homelessness
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the proportion of England's homeless who live in Coventry South. [182443]
Phil Hope: Information reported by local authorities about statutory homelessness in their districts is not available at Parliamentary constituency level The number of households reported by Coventry City Council as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category during 2003–04 was 741.
This represents 0.54 per cent. of the 137,000 households accepted by all local authorities in England during the same period.
8 Jul 2004 : Column 818W
Housing (North Somerset)
Brian Cotter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households were living in temporary accommodation in the North Somerset local authority in each year since 1997; and how many of those households included dependent children. [182503]
Phil Hope: A summary of information reported by North Somerset District Council about the number of homeless households in temporary accommodation as at 31 March of each year since 1997 is tabled as follows. The number of these containing dependent children or expectant mothers has only been collected since March 2002.
| Total households | of which: with dependent children(4) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 53 | n/a |
| 1998 | 100 | n/a |
| 1999 | 372 | n/a |
| 2000 | 456 | n/a |
| 2001 | 554 | n/a |
| 2002 | 294 | 248 |
| 2003 | 294 | (5)—; |
| 2004 | 419 | (5)—; |
Notes:
(3) Households in temporary accommodation arranged by the local authority pending enquiries, or after being accepted, under homelessness legislation.
(4) Includes an expectant mother. Data only collected since March 2002.
(5) Not reported
Source:
ODPM P1E homelessness returns (quarterly)
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