Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total amount of overpayments for each tax for which information is available in each year since 1997; how much has since been repaid; and if he will make a statement. [6351]
Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs do not have an estimate of the amount of tax overpaid.
Details of the amounts repaid by HM Revenue and Customs are shown in the trust statements, which are published as part of the departmental annual accounts. The annual accounts are available for access via the Internet on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/ or by purchase through The Stationery Office.
The Customs and Excise figures are broken down into repayments of value added tax, alcohol duties, hydrocarbon oils, tobacco, betting and gaming, insurance premium tax, air passenger duty, landfill tax, climate change levy, aggregates levy, customs duties and agricultural duties.
The Inland Revenue figures are broken down into repayments of income tax, capital gains tax, corporation tax, inheritance tax, stamp taxes and petroleum revenue taxes
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the freeze on (a) the company car levy, (b) corporation tax, (c) insurance premium tax, (d) air passenger tax and (e) capital gains tax implemented in his last Budget. [5394]
Dawn Primarolo: Details of changes in taxation were announced by the Chancellor at the Budget. The Government keep all taxes under review and any changes are considered and announced in the normal Budget process.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons in Northern Ireland were taxed on the basis of incomes of over £1 million a year before allowances (a) in the last year for which figures are available and (b) in each of the last 10 years. [5393]
Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the distribution of taxpayers by income would usually be derived from the Survey of Personal Incomes, but it is not possible to provide reliable figures for Northern Ireland due to sample sizes.
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Government revenue was raised from personal taxation in the Reading, East constituency in the last financial year for which figures are available. [5418]
Dawn Primarolo:
Information on regional or sub-regional income tax revenue statistics is not available pending a review of National Statistics on income tax and personal incomes. Further details of the review can
21 Jun 2005 : Column 945W
be found on the HMRC website at the following page: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/NS_Review. htm.
Published National Statistics on Parliamentary Constituencies can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/table-315.xls.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people declared part-time earnings while claiming (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) income support in each of the lastfive years. [5556]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
Mr. Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Pension Service is taking to provide accurate pension forecasts. [4702]
Mr. Timms: The Pension Service provides State Pension forecasts based on the information held by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs on an individual's National Insurance (NI) contribution record and, where appropriate, information provided by the customer when they request a forecast. A pension forecast, of any kind, is an estimate of future pension entitlement, not a guarantee.
The calculation of all pension forecasts is based upon current pensions legislation.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the pensions regulator has inherited all the functions and duties previously undertaken by the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority and the Occupational Pensions Board. [4777]
Mr. Timms: Section 7 of the Pensions Act 2004 transferred all the existing functions of the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) to the Pensions Regulator with the exception of responsibility for the Pension Tracing Service which transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 April 2005.
As well as inheriting Opra's powers the Pensions Regulator will also have a range of new or increased powers to assist it in fulfilling its statutory objectives andfunctions as specified in the Pensions Act 2004protecting members' benefits by making use of enhanced information-gathering powers to implement its risk-based approach to regulation.
The Occupational Pensions Board was replaced by the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority from 6 April 1997.
Sir John Butterfill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) employees and (b) users of the Social Security Office in Cotlands Road, Bournemouth of its proposed closure as a processing centre; and if he will make a statement. [6124]
Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive, Leslie Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lesley Strathie to Sir John Butterfill, dated 21 June 2005:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the impact upon employees and customers, with regard to the decision taken not to locate a Benefit Processing Centre at the Social Security Office situated in Cotlands Road, Bournemouth. This falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
It may be helpful if I explain that matters concerning the location of Benefit Processing Centres and the subsequent redeployment of staff are part of a nationally driven agenda to centralise benefit processing in 77 locations across the country. Ican confirm that the management team for the Dorset and Somerset District are adhering closely to the Department for Work and Pensions Workforce Management Guidance' which provides a clear process to follow.
The Benefit Processing Management Team is currently working to re-deploy all staff in the vicinity. It is their expectation that there will be sufficient vacancies available within the Contact Centre sited in Poole, the Benefit Processing Centre to be located in Totton and in other government departments within the area. All staff will shortly have individual meetings with their line managers in order to discuss their own personal circumstances and needs, and to discuss any issues around relocation to other sites. Support for staff in coming to terms with the changes will be provided by Carefirst (soon to be replaced by Corecare from 1 July 2005) should it be required.
There is no expectation that the decision to locate benefit processing outside Bournemouth will have any adverse effect upon customer service. The processing centres will be providing 0845 local call rate numbers in order that customers are not disadvantaged by location, along with a 'freephone' number for Social Fund Crisis loan customers. Our face-to-face contact with customers will continued unchanged via the Jobcentre Plus Local Service Outlets.
You have my assurance that the decision taken not to base one of the 77 Processing Centres in Bournemouth was made following consideration of all of the facts and mindful of the impact upon both the staff and the customers at that location.
Bournemouth was not included in the list of those selected to deliver this service for several reasons. These include the difficulties identified with regard to estate issues, staff turnover rates and the re-deployment opportunities for benefit processing staff within the locality.
Next Section | Index | Home Page |