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18 Nov 2004 : Column 1718W—continued
Alcohol-related Deaths
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of deaths in which alcohol was a contributory factor in each of the last 10 years. [197613]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
In the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit "Alcohol harm reduction project: interim analytical report" it was estimated that in 2000 there were between 15,000 and 22,000 alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales.
The report, 2003, is available at:
www.numberl0.gov.uk/files/pdf/SU interim_report2.pdf.
Alcohol-related deaths are shown on page 44 of the report.
Births
Martin Linton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children have been born to mothers resident in each constituency in the UK since 1 September 2002. [199294]
Mr. Timms: It has not proved possible to reply substantively to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Capital Gains Tax
Mr. Dawson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide additional training for Inland Revenue staff in respect of capital gains tax; and if he will make
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an assessment of the need to improve the clarity of information available to members of the public in respect of capital gains tax. [199111]
John Healey: The Inland Revenue has comprehensive training available to its staff on capital gains tax ranging from a basic awareness course to detailed courses on specific capital gains tax topics. The scope of the material is kept under regular review.
The Inland Revenue aims to improve the quality of its guidance to the public under its Better Guidance programme and this includes capital gains tax material.
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will replace the system of reliefs offered to those liable for capital gains tax with a sliding scale based upon the length of time that an asset has been owned. [199112]
John Healey: Taper relief, which is one of a number of capital gains tax reliefs available, already works on a sliding scale, and reduces chargeable gains in part according to the length of time an asset has been held after 5 April 1998 or the date of acquisition if later.
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many different leaflets are published by Inland Revenue to explain the capital gains tax system. [199113]
John Healey: The Inland Revenue publishes three different types of leaflets to explain the capital gains tax system. A simple quick guide to introduce the subject, a more detailed booklet covering the way the tax works and detailed help sheets on specific topics.
Child Benefit
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the rated child benefit has increased since 1997. [198539]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General to the Member for City of York (Mr. Hugh Bayley) on 19 October 2004, Official Report, columns 578–9W.
Cold Weather Mortality
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths were attributed to cold weather and lack of adequate heating in homes in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the UK in each year since 1997; and what the average age of death was in each case in each year. [199225]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Stephen Hepburn, dated 18 November 2004:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths were attributed to cold weather and lack of adequate heating in homes in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the UK in each year since 1997; and what the average age of death was in each case in each year. (199225)
Company Cars
Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Inland Revenue's policy is on fuel charges for company cars; and what plans it has to reconsider levels. [198842]
John Healey: The benefit charge where an employee receives free fuel for private motoring in a company car was reformed in April 2003 to follow the environmental principles as part of company car tax reform. The second phase of the Inland Revenue's evaluation of company car tax reform is now underway, and the fuel benefit charge is being examined as part of this evaluation.
Contraceptives
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of removing the VAT levy on all over-the-counter contraceptives; and what discussions (a) he, (b) his officials and (c) Ministers in his Department have had with the Department of Health about this. [198992]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General to the hon. Member for Romsey (Sandra Gidley) on 19 October 2004, Official Report, column 578W. Treasury Ministers and officials meet their Department of Health counterparts regularly to discuss a wide range of issues.
Corporation Tax
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme have benefited from lower rates of corporation tax. [198628]
John Healey: Nationally nearly 600,000 companies have a corporation tax liability each year. All will benefit from the cuts in the main, small and starting companies' rates of corporation tax that have been introduced in recent years. However, it is not possible to identify precisely those businesses that trade in specific areas such as Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter to him of 11 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Silu Meah. [199095]
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue will reply to the letter of 2 November from the right hon. Member for Birkenhead, concerning Mr. and Mrs. Edwards of Birkenhead. [199132]
John Healey:
The Inland Revenue acknowledged the right hon. Member's letter on 5 November 2004 and are making a thorough investigation of his constituents' case. They will be writing to the right hon. Member shortly.
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Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Birkenhead, dated 11 October, concerning the payment of tax credits to a constituent. [199133]
John Healey: The Inland Revenue has made a thorough investigation of the right hon. Member's constituent's case and replied on 16 November 2004.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects a reply to be made to the letters of (a) 17 August to Sir Nicholas Montagu KCB and (b) 15 September to Mr. David Varney of the Board of the Inland Revenue from the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton. [199332]
John Healey: I understand that the Inland Revenue has replied to the hon. Member.
European Pact for Youth
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the European Pact for Youth programme entails. [197761]
Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
The European Pact for Youth is not a programme. The concept was introduced at the European Council on 5 November 2004 by France, Germany, Spain and Sweden. The four countries, through the Dutch presidency, asked the European Council to consider the importance of demographic trends and address youth unemployment and social exclusion; achieve greater coherence in the EU's approach to youth issues and to find new ways to encourage higher European birth rates (including through better reconciliation of work and family life). In the presidency conclusions, the European Council took note and called for the elaboration of a "European Pact for Youth". The conclusions do not specify what form this should take.
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