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14 Jun 2005 : Column 343W—continued
Public sector pensions
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net public sector pensions liability is estimated to be over the next 10 years based on the current retirement age. [3667]
Mr. Des Browne:
The total liabilities of unfunded public service pension schemes as at 31 March 2004 were estimated to be £460 billion. This is a gross figure, as unfunded public service pension schemes do not hold
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assets to offset the liability. We do not hold information on a comparable basis projecting these aggregated liabilities to 2015.
Projected figures for the in year accrual of liabilities for the main unfunded pension schemes to 2007–08, based on the current normal pension age, are published in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005.
The net liabilities of funded pension schemes in the wider public sector to 2015 will be dependent on the performance of the individual pension funds. Central Government does not hold comprehensive information on, or estimates of the future performance of, these individual funds.
Tax Credits
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has (a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed on the effectiveness of research and development (R and D) tax credits in stimulating additional (R and D) activity in the UK. [4060]
John Healey: The effectiveness of fiscal incentives for R and D was fully considered in the development of the UK's R and D tax credit system. The Government has committed to a full evaluation of R and D tax credits and, as the first stage, has commissioned a survey of R and D companies to examine awareness and use of R and D tax credits and to assess any early effects on business R and D.
The Government will continue to monitor the wide range of economic and international evidence on R and D fiscal incentives to assess and inform improvements to the UK's R and D tax credits. Further research will also be commissioned as part of the evaluation programme.
National Statistics on the number of claims and amount of support claimed through the SME R and D tax credit are published on the HM Revenue and Customs website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/randdtcmenu.htm
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many non-pensioner families in Tamworth have been recipients of tax credits in each of the last three years; and how many have been identified as having received overpayments. [3327]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 468W.
Small Businesses (London)
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many small businesses were registered for VAT in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997; [2507]
(2) how many new VAT registrations of small companies there were in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. [2508]
John Healey:
HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on the number of VAT registered businesses or new VAT registrations of small companies by geographic area. However, information on the number
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of enterprises registered for VAT at the start of each year, and newly registered for VAT, is available via the Small Business Service website at www.sbs.gov.uk. This can be used to give an indication of the size of the
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business population within London. Table 1 shows the number of VAT registered small businesses and Table 2 shows the number of new VAT registrations, in London since 1997.
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Stamp Duty
Mr. Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has conducted into the impact that higher rates of stamp duty on domestic property have on workforce mobility; and if he will make a statement. [3199]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government keep all taxes under review.
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