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28 Feb 2005 : Column 940W—continued
EU Committees
Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee on Excise Duties met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [217890]
Dawn Primarolo: The Committee on Excise Duties meets in Brussels approximately twice a year as determined by the European Commission.
The Committee met once during the Italian Presidency, on 12–14 December 2003, once during the Irish Presidency, on 1–2 April 2004 and once during theDutch Presidency, on 1–2 July 2004.
Officials from HM Customs and Excise represented the UK.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Economic Policy Committee: Working Party and Reduced Compositions met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [217897]
Mr. Timms: The Economic Policy Committee (EPC) met formally 16 times during the Italian, Irish and Dutch Presidencies of the EU. All meetings were held in Brussels, with the exception of one Informal meeting held in London in June 2004. The various working groups and reduced compositions of the EPC met on 30 occasions in Brussels during these three Presidencies. The UK Government was represented on each occasion by Treasury officials.
Inspection and Enforcement Activities
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of inspection and enforcement activities carried out by (a) his Department and (b) regulatory bodies and agencies sponsored by his Department was in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 2003–04. [217786]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Chancellor's Departments which carry out inspection or enforcement type activities are the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise. In the course of achieving their objectives, however, neither Department separately identifies inspection or enforcement activity, with the exception of the law enforcement work of HM Customs and Excise. This focuses on the management of risks to society that arise from the illegal importation of prohibited or restricted goods such as class A drugs, firearms or paedophile material. It is not therefore possible to provide the information requested on costs of inspection and enforcement activities for 1996–97 and 2003–04, although more information on the activities of HM Customs and Excise and of the Inland Revenue and the administrative costs of running the Departments, including the costs to HM Customs and Excise of working to reduce crime and drug dependency and on investment in compliance activity in the Inland Revenue, can be found in their annual reports and accounts.
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Mobile Phones
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax and national insurance benefits will be available from April to employers who supply mobile phone and associated contracts to employees and their families. [217704]
Dawn Primarolo: The provision of a mobile phone by an employer to a director or employee or any member of their family or household has been exempt from tax and national insurance contributions since April 1999.
Pensioners (Employment)
Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of (a) men aged 65 years or over and (b) women aged 60 years or over are in (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employment; and if he will provide corresponding estimates at three-yearly intervals since 1975. [217997]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 28 February 2005:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment. I am replying in his absence. (217997)
The attached table gives estimates, based on the Labour Force Survey, of the proportion of men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over who were in full and part-time employment for the three month periods ending May every three years from 1986 to 2004. Data for earlier periods are not available on a consistent basis.
As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to sampling variability.
(12)Defined as men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over.
(13)Percentages are based on people working full or part-time as a percentage of all those in the relevant age groups.
Source:
ONS Labour Force Survey.
Tax Credits
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) in how many cases where the Inland Revenue has contacted child care providers whose details have been provided by claimants of the child care element of child tax credit the child had been removed from the child care provider; [217687]
(2) how many times the Inland Revenue contacted child care providers whose details have been provided by claimants of the child care element of child tax credit in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05. [217688]
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Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 25 February 2005]: Where a 2003–04 or 2004–05 tax credit award includes an element of help towards the cost of child care, the Inland Revenue has contacted child care providers to verify the details that have been provided by the claimant.
In 2003–04, the Department contacted around 215,000 child care providers to check information and so far in 2004–05 they have contacted around 251,000 providers. Wherever possible, the Department sends a single, composite inquiry covering all the claims in which the child care provider features.
Unlike the previous tax credits, the amount of help towards child care is not fixed for the duration of the award. The new tax credit system is designed to respond to changes in circumstances and where people alter their child care arrangements the amount of tax credits they receive may be adjusted to ensure they continue to receive the right amount of money. Claimants are required to tell the Inland Revenue within three months where the amount they pay for child care falls by £10 per week or more. Other changes can be reported when finalising the claim after the end of the tax year, although the Inland Revenue encourages claimants to report changes as and when they happen to avoid over and under payments.
LEADER OF THE HOUSE
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards (Inquiry Costs)
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals to enable the recovery of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards' inquiry costs from the hon. Member concerned where a complaint is upheld; and if he will make a statement. [217797]
Mr. Hain: I have no plans to do so.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Afghanistan
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department is taking to limit the number of deaths and injuries in Afghanistan resulting from unexploded ammunition; and what proportion of such deaths and injuries has been of children. [218823]
Hilary Benn: DFID is supporting mine and undeveloped ordnance clearance in Afghanistan. In the period 2002–04 we provided £3.8 million to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) for its clearance work in Afghanistan.
DFID is also supporting the Halo Trust's Weapons and Ammunition Disposal Programme through its contribution to the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP). In 2004–05, the GCPP has provided £430,000 to this programme, which is focused on destroying excess ammunition and small arms, much of which is unserviceable and unsafe.
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It is difficult to obtain precise information casualties from landmine and unexploded ammunition in Afghanistan. However, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, in 2003 (the latest year for which there are figures) there were 846 new casualties, of which 184 resulted in death. Of the 846 casualties, 384 casualties were children under the age of 18 years. The information available does not provide a breakdown by age of the casualties resulting in death.
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