---

23 Feb 2005 : Column 637W—continued

TREASURY

Council Tax (Chorley)

Mr. Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties there were in each council tax band in the Chorley borough council area in 2003–04. [217601]

Dawn Primarolo: The number of dwellings in each council tax band for properties, in Chorley borough council area, at 7 April 2003 was:

Band	Number of dwellings
A	13,771
B	9,616
C	8,064
D	5,213
E	3,998
F	1,582
G	701
H	62

The council tax list, maintained by the listing officer of the Valuation Office Agency, is updated at regular intervals throughout the financial year. At 7 April 2004, the number of properties in each band were:

Band	Number of dwellings
A	13,806
B	9,652
C	8,213
D	5,370
E	4,124
F	1,623
G	715
H	62

Departmental Policies (Huddersfield)

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement, using statistical information relating as directly as possible to Huddersfield constituency, on the effects on Huddersfield of the working and child tax credits; and what the average change in level of income has been for those receiving the credits in Huddersfield since their introduction. [217460]

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the total number of families that benefit from tax credits is only available for the United Kingdom as a whole. This information can be found in Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics".

Information on the number of in-work families receiving tax credits in each constituency appear in Child and Working Tax Credits. Geographical analyses".
 
23 Feb 2005 : Column 638W
 

Both these publications can be found on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm. The estimates are based on a sample of cases and are subject to sampling uncertainty.

Information on the average change in income for those families that receive tax credits is not available.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU theCustoms Section of the Joint Committee (EEC-Switzerland-Liechtenstein) met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [217923]

(2) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Sub-committee EEC-Canada met; when and where these meetings took place; what UKGovernment expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [217925]

Dawn Primarolo: The committees are the responsibility of the European Commission. Member states are not involved.

Mobile Phones (Tax Benefits)

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has held with the Department of Health regarding the potential health implications of tax and national insurance benefits available to employers who supply mobile phone and associated contracts to employees and their families. [217705]

Dawn Primarolo: The Treasury and the Department of Health have regular and on-going discussions on a wide variety of topics.

Stamp Duty

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost for 2005–06 of stamp duty relief in designated disadvantaged wards. [217483]

Dawn Primarolo: The latest estimate of the amount of disadvantaged area relief forecast to be given in 2004–05 is published at http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1–5.pdf.

This estimate will be updated in the Budget 2005 report. An initial forecast for 2005–06 will be published at PBR in the autumn.

Tax Credit (Overpayment)

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases of tax credit overpayments the Inland Revenue has decided in accordance with page 9 of the Code of Practice 26, What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?' not to collect (a) all and (b) part of the overpayment to avoid causing hardship in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05. [215780]

 
23 Feb 2005 : Column 639W
 

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 10 February 2005]: None. However, there are a number of measures to protect against hardship being caused by the recovery of an overpayment.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Improvement Districts

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the maximum increase in business rates allowed in a Business Improvement District is. [216297]

Mr. Raynsford: There is no statutory upper limit on the size of the BID levy. It is for those developing BID proposals to agree the amount payable with those liable to pay the BID levy within a BID area. The legislation provides for all those liable to contribute towards BID schemes to be able to vote on BID proposals and they will be able to judge for themselves whether or not the proposal and its financial implications offers value for money.

Departmental Policies (Warrington, South)

Helen Southworth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Warrington south constituency, the effects on Warrington South of his Department's policies and actions since it was established. [213762]

Yvette Cooper: Along with other Government Departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to improving the lives of people across the whole of the United Kingdom. For example, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined that everyone should have the opportunity to have a decent home, and since 1997 we have reduced the number of non-decent homes nationally by one million.

Warrington borough council was awarded a place on Round 3 of the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) programme in July 2003, with initial funding of £18.3 million for 2004–05 and 2005–06, to help improve council stock to the decent homes standard. In November 2004 the Arms Length Management Organisation, Golden Gates Housing, qualified to access this funding by achieving a two star (good) rating from the Housing Inspectorate.

Since April 2003, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also provided £16 million of Supporting People grant to Warrington metropolitan borough council, to enable it to deliver housing related support services to vulnerable people in the area. Currently this provides over 3900 dwellings of support to a range of people-including homeless families, older people, people with learning disabilities and young people at risk.

More broadly, since May 2002 (when the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established) we have been able to increase the total amount of Government grant given to local authorities by £11.1 billion. This is a 22 per cent. increase in real terms. Warrington has received average annual increases in formula grant of 6.5 per cent.
 
23 Feb 2005 : Column 640W
 

The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.

EU Grants

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what procedures are in place in his Department to ensure that EU regional development grants are used in accordance with European Commission rules. [217279]

Yvette Cooper: European Structural Funds programmes are required to operate in accordance with European Commission Regulations. As Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund programmes in England, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister operates a management and control system which the Commission has agreed fully meets its regulatory requirements.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on mismanagement of EU regional development grants; and if he will make a statement. [217394]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not aware that there have been representations on any specific cases in relation to mismanagement of the European Regional Development Fund within England, for which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is the Managing Authority. If the hon. Member has a particular concern perhaps he will write to me.

---