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19 Jul 2004 : Column 42W—continued

STEPS Agreement

Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 835W, on the STEPS agreement, in respect of what costs were the payments in excess of the annual charge of £170 million made to Mapeley STEPS Ltd. in each year to April (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004. [184334]

Dawn Primarolo: The £170 million, mentioned within the NAO report, relates to Facility price only and is an estimated annual charge only. The difference in the actual Facility Price payments and the total payments to Mapeley STEPS Contractor are for services and pass through costs provided for in the contract such as major works, minor works and utilities.

The data for years to April 2002 and 2003 have been routinely archived and therefore cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. However, for the year to April 2004 the data are available for the Inland
 
19 Jul 2004 : Column 43W
 
Revenue. The amounts that account for contract expenditure in addition to the Facility Prices are as follows:
2003–04

Amount (£000)
Major works25,378
Utilities12,728
Minor works and services12,536
VAT on rent10,163
New services for existing facilities2,244
Total63,049

Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 15 June, Official Report, column 835W, on the STEPS agreement, what his present estimate is of the total payments over the 20 years' contract that will be paid to Mapeley STEPS Ltd. for the Chancellor's departments. [184339]

Dawn Primarolo: In their report on the STEPS deal, the NAO estimated that the Departments would pay Mapeley STEPS Contractor Ltd. some £1,500 million over the 20 years of the contract. This relates to the major contract price element (the facility price) for serviced accommodation. The NAO noted that this cost reflected the Departments anticipated requirements which may vary over time.

Taking this uncertainty into account, the figure contained in the NAOs report remains a reasonable estimate of the likely total Facility Price payments due to Mapeley over 20 years.

In addition to this the contract provides a flexible framework in which we are able to transact with Mapeley to provide a range of services including, utilities, business rates, and major and minor building works. Under the contract the cost of these additional services are charged on to the departments separately and will vary according to demand.

Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 835W, on the STEPS agreement, whether the payments made to Mapeley STEPS Ltd. in each year to April (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 were provided for in the contract which commenced on 2 April 2001. [184340]


 
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Dawn Primarolo: The Departments made payments that were provided for in the contract and due to Mapeley STEPS Contractor Ltd. in each of the years 2002, 2003 and 2004. By its nature any serviced accommodation contract provides a flexible framework for provision of a variety of services. In the case of the STEPS contract the Departments are able to transact with Mapeley to call off services including the provision of Major and Minor change works and the payment of Utilities. These are in addition to the fixed facility payment element due under the contract for serviced accommodation.

Tax Credits

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the cost in this financial year of disregarding maintenance payments for the purposes of calculating working tax credit and child tax credit. [180985]

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 28 June 2004]: Maintenance payments are disregarded from income for the purposes of calculating tax credit awards. The cost of the child and working tax credit is given in tabled C8 and C11 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2004 (HC 301).

Tax Credits (Civil Partnerships Bill)

Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what savings on tax credits he anticipates making once the Civil Partnership Bill is introduced for, and the living together test is extended to, same-sex couples. [184729]

Dawn Primarolo: The Civil Partnerships Bill is expected to have a negligible effect on the cost of tax credits.

Travel Costs

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the travel costs were of civil servants in (a) his Department and (b) its related agencies in each year since 1997. [183906]

Ruth Kelly: The figures are presented in the following table. All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Ministerial Code.
£000

Departments/Agencies1997–981998–991999–20002000–012001–022002–032003–04
HM Treasury(24)1,0691,4551,6191,7181,3401,8391,944
Debt Management Office1, 29269172536
Office of Government Commerce(26)1,1101,1061,0471,171
OGCBuying. Solutions(27)413494644
Valuation Office Agency(24)3,7003,3203,5803,5303,3003,5503,750
HM Customs and Excise(28)3,0003,0003,0003,0004,0055,0026,200
Inland Revenue(24)14,50917,50626,48928,07731,94135,23037,335
Royal Mint(24)456380455503490466536
National Savings and Investments805755191259295311273
Office of National Statistics1,6711,7842,4252,6612,5502,8463,314
Government Actuary's Department80719589889792


(24) Figures include subsistence, as travel could only be disaggregated at disproportionate cost.
(25) The DMO did not exist as a separate body prior to 1998–99.
(26) OGC have provided figures from their date of inception—2000.
(27) OGCBuying.Solutions have provided figures from their date of inception—2001.
(28) Figures between 1997–2000 show approximate spend on Rail, Air and Ferry prior to external Contract. Other figures reflect spend on Contract, as off-Contract spend or business mileage could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost.



 
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Unemployment Rates (Havering)

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were unemployed in Havering in (a) 1997, (b) 1999, (c) 2001 and (d) 2003. [184253]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Andrew Rosindell, dated 19 July 2004:


Table 1: Number of unemployed people, Havering local authority, years as shown

Year(29)Thousand
19977
1999(30)5
20012
20033


(29) 12-month period ending in February of the year shown.
(30) Figures not yet adjusted to take account of 2001 Census data.
Sources:
1. ONS Labour Force Survey.
2. Local Area Datasets.




Table 2: Annual average number of jobseekers' allowance (JSA) claimants, Havering local authority, years as shown

Number
19974,286
19993,329
20012,315
20032,518




Source:
Jobcentre Plus Administrative system.





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