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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.
Table 1: Number of VAT registered small businesses in London

1997199619992000200120022003
Inner London
Camden19,80020,67520,62020,66020,61020,00519,145
Hackney5,3705,6306,0656,4236,8057,0357,195
Hammersmith and Fulham6,1606,5107,0707,4857,9508,3108,430
Haringey5,4105,6855,9506,1856,3756,4656,525
Islington9,58510,38010,94511,05511,07011,04010,885
Kensington and Chelsea8,2058,5258,8709,2259,5259,6409,815
Lambeth5,4455,6905,9806,2306,4256,6456,840
Lewisham3,6553,8154,0454,1954,3354,4754,545
Newham3,0403,1253,2803,4303,5903,6753,765
Southwark6,1506,4756,8607,1907,5457,8958,130
Tower Hamlets5,6855,9756,3756,7807,0707,2157,390
Wandsworth7,5857,9808,4458,8659,1109,3059,445
Westminster32,45533,98535,54037,23038,39539,05539,235
Outer London
Barking and Dagenham2,1752,2152,1452,2402,3802,4502,510
Barnet14,27015,07015,33015,24015,23014,68014,050
Bexley4,4404,6154,7054,8354,9305,0655,110
Brent7,4357,8108,1208,3408,4758,5158,515
Bromley8,1458,3908,7458,8258,9609,1009,115
Croydon8,6758,8959,0559,0459,0208,9858,830
Ealing8,0058,3608,7709,1259,3909,5509,680
Enfield5,7955,9956,2756,4356,6206,6756,725
Greenwich3,2953,4803,6553,7703,8703,9904,075
Harrow6,9357,1707,4457,5007,5357,5757,585
Havering5,2255,3705,5455,6455,7005,7905,795
Hillingdon6,7556,9407,1957,3457,4507,4607,500
Hounslow5,8206,0306,2956,5456,6956,8906,900
Kingston upon Thames4,4854,7305,0005,2055,3055,3555,335
Merton4,8205,0955,4155,5655,7355,7855,765
Redbridge5,2355,3855,6455,8155,9705,9205,855
Richmond upon Thames7,4007,7208,0958,3858,5958,7758,870
Sutton4,7604,8805,0405,1405,1255,1655,150
Waltham Forest4,2454,3304,5504,6754,7254,7554,765
Total for London236,460246,930257,070264,625270,515273,240273,475

Table 2: Number of new small business VAT registrations in London

1997199819992000200120022003
Inner London
Camden3,1152,9302,6652,4751,9201,8651,940
Hackney9851,1301,1201,1801,0151,0501,095
Hammersmith and Fulham9701,1551,0501,2301,1851,1251,260
Haringey940990980960885855845
Islington1,7401,8051,5751,4451,2551,2701,315
Kensington and Chelsea1,1151,1701,2401,2609401,1051,210
Lambeth865930900865875880995
Lewisham630675635615610590605
Newham530595585580530545660
Southwark1,0101,0901,0251,1051,0851,0251,080
Tower Hamlets9951,1001,0801,1009459751,150
Wandsworth1,1651,2251,2501,1651,1101,1451,255
Westminster4,6805,1755,6605,4504,8304,6555,855
Outer London
Barking and Dagenham295310350375330320370
Barnet2,2952,2751,9251,9701,6251,6001,615
Bexley660575560595625535570
Brent1,2001,1951,1601,1801,0701,0301,150
Bromley1,0551,1259159509409401,000
Croydon1,2151,2151,0951,0359859851,050
Ealing1,2551,2551,1901,2001,150'1,1751,330
Enfield805860840885790860910
Greenwich565565525520495500545
Harrow9451,0509009309209501,085
Havering720745645640630635610
Hillingdon905920835860735830855
Hounslow805840830820820810840
Kingston upon Thames670700620615595585570
Merton750840730765680640710
Redbridge830925850855760750820
Richmond upon Thames9701,0059609608801,0151,020
Sutton585610540505520490550
Waltham Forest670715705650625630675
Total in London35,93537,69535,94035,74032,36032,36535,540

 
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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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