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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 14 December 2004

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Cross-examination

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what (a) advice and (b) training is given to judges to help them to deal with family cases in which there is an application by a party who faces an allegation of (i) domestic violence and (ii) sexual abuse to cross-examine the other party about those allegations. [204001]

Mr. Leslie: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board, an independent body chaired by Lord Justice Keene. In the Family Jurisdiction, where the alleged victim of domestic violence or sexual abuse is an adult, the alleged perpetrator who disputes the allegation is entitled to cross-examine the alleged victim. This is either in person if they are not legally represented, or by their advocate. The entitlement arises in the interests of justice and a fair trial. Where the alleged perpetrator exercises their entitlement to cross-examine, judges are taught of the need to balance the needs of justice with the needs of the alleged victims. Those needs of the alleged victim include not being subjected to any oppressive, insensitive, or unnecessarily prolonged questioning. If the alleged victim is a child, the child hardly ever gives evidence. His or her account is obtained earlier in an interview which is videoed.

All judges trying cases of this gravity will have been trained among other things in the need for that sensitivity, as well as advised about the impact of domestic violence and sexual abuse on their victims.

TREASURY

Aggregates Tax

Mr. Salmond: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised by the Aggregate Tax in each quarter of its existence in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK. [204159]

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise routinely publishes UK Aggregates Levy receipts at http://www.uktradeinfo.com in the Aggregates Levy Bulletin.

A breakdown of Aggregates Levy receipts by UK region is not available separately.

Audit Exemption Threshold

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the deregulatory measure to raise the audit exemption threshold was contained in the list of 147 regulations for reform or removal referred to by the Chancellor in his Pre-Budget Report statement of 10 December 2003. [203890]

 
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John Healey: This deregulatory measure, which raised the audit exemption threshold to reduce the administrative burden on small companies, was not part of the list of 147 regulations for reform or removal referred to by the Chancellor in the 2003 Pre-Budget Report statement.

The statutory audit threshold measure was part of the original Regulatory Reform Action Plan published in February 2002. 147 referred to the number of new measures added to the Regulatory Reform Action Plan since the previous figure was publicised at Budget 2003; at that time the Chancellor had announced there were over 500 deregulatory measures.

Britain in Europe

Mr. Hayes: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on his meeting with representatives of Britain in Europe on 17 November 2004; what issues were discussed; whether civil servants were present; and in what capacity he attended. [204223]

Mr. Timms: The Chancellor attended Britain in Europe's board meeting on 17 November 2004, accompanied by his Private Secretary. A wide range of issues relating to Europe were discussed.

Child Trust Fund

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many children in Pendle he estimates will benefit from the Child Trust Fund; [204085]

(2) how many children in Burnley he estimates will benefit from the Child Trust Fund. [204805]

Dawn Primarolo: All children born since 1 September 2002 in families awarded Child Benefit will receive a Child Trust Fund. In 2005–06 around 700,000 families will benefit from the Child Trust Fund across the country as a whole. No estimate is available of the number of children benefiting in Pendle. However, there were around 12,000 new births across Lancashire in 2003–04.

The CTF is intended to encourage parents and children to develop the savings habit. It will ensure that every child born since 1 September 2002, whatever their family background, will have access to a stock of assets from the age of 18, so they can invest in their future.

It will also help children and their parents to understand the benefits of saving and investment and how to engage with financial institutions.

Civil Servants

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assurances he obtained from Sir Nicholas Montagu that he would not be consulting with PricewaterhouseCooper's clients on tax matters prior to granting him permission to join PWC. [204024]

Mr. Timms: Sir Nicholas Montagu complied with the requirements of the Business Appointment Rules, and applied for permission to take up his part-time appointment with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

In submitting his application, he stated that he would not advise on tax matters.
 
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The appointment was approved under the Rules subject to the conditions that:

He should not be personally involved in lobbying, on behalf of PWC or its clients, the Inland Revenue for one year from his last day of service, and Government Ministers or officials in other Departments for six months from his last day of service; and

Acknowledging that it is not part of the job to which he is being appointed, he should stand aside from any discussion of, or giving advice on any tax related matters for two years from his last day of service.

Correspondence

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue will reply to the letter of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead concerning his constituent, Miss Yardley. [204856]

Dawn Primarolo: The hon. Member wrote on 3 November 2004 and the Inland Revenue replied to him on 18 November and 8 December 2004.

Inland Revenue Informers

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue informers had their relationship terminated between 6 March 2000 and 28 July 2000; and how many Inland Revenue handling officers were posted elsewhere during this period. [204443]

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue does not keep any form of central record of persons providing information to them (informers). The Inland Revenue does keep central records of covert human intelligence sources. No relationship with a covert human intelligence source was terminated within the dates given. No Inland Revenue handler has been posted elsewhere.

Red Diesel

Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the fishing industry of the proposed rise of 1p per litre in the rate of fuel duty for red diesel. [203979]

John Healey [holding answer 13 December 2004]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor takes account of all relevant economic, social and environmental factors in determining duty rates.

The excise duty paid by the fishing industry on marine fuel used for navigation within community waters is fully repayable, so that it is, in effect, duty free.

Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the agricultural industry of the proposed rise of 1p per litre in the rate of fuel duty on red diesel. [203980]

John Healey [holding answer 13 December 2004]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor takes account of all relevant economic, social and environmental factors for all sectors, including the farming industry, in determining duty rates. The Department for Trade and Industry estimate that agriculture accounts for only a small proportion of red diesel consumption.
 
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Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act

Mr. Gray: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on the use of covert human intelligence sources by Inland Revenue. [204440]

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, including the use of covert human intelligence sources, is monitored annually by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners and is also subject to internal monitoring.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the (a) Commissioner of Inland Revenue and (b) Inland Revenue solicitor responsible for determining the impact of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on the use of informers was. [204441]

Dawn Primarolo: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act does not govern the use of informers except where those informers are also covert human intelligence sources. I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his companion question (204440).

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Inland Revenue conducted an impact assessment of the effects of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on informers before its passage into law. [204442]

Dawn Primarolo: I believe the hon. Member is referring to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. That Act is Home Office legislation. In accordance with normal practice the Home Office would have prepared a regulatory impact assessment on the Act.

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