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Public Borrowing

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of public borrowing in 2005–06. [21014]

John Healey: Budget 2005 set out the Government's latest projections for public sector net borrowing in 2005–06. Updated estimates will be published in the pre-Budget report.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether public borrowing is estimated to exceed spending at the end of the current financial year. [21015]

John Healey: Budget 2005 projections for 2005–06 for public sector net borrowing and total managed expenditure were respectively £32 billion and £519 billion. Updated estimates will be published in the pre-Budget report.

Secondments

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in his Department are seconded from accountancy houses; and how many of his officials have worked on secondment to outside accountancy houses. [20553]

John Healey: Details of those working in HM Treasury on secondment from other organisations are published on our website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/about_secondee.cfm.

Two current employees have worked on secondment to outside accountancy houses.

SIPPS

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what discussions he has had with the English regional assemblies regarding the affordability of housing in rural areas after investment in residential property as part of a self-invested personal pension scheme is allowed on A-Day; [21367]

(2) what discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the affordability of housing in rural areas in England after investment in residential property as part of a self-invested personal pension scheme is allowed on A-Day; [21368]
 
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(3) what discussions he has had with the Building Societies Association regarding changes in the level of investment and savings in building societies as a consequence of allowing investment in residential property as part of a self-invested personal pension scheme from A-Day on 6 April 2006; [21369]

(4) what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government and the Scottish Executive regarding the affordability of housing in Wales and Scotland after investment in residential property as part of a self-invested personal pension scheme is allowed on A-Day; [21370]

(5) what assessment he has made of the likely change in the number of self-invested personal pension schemes following A-day on 6 April 2006; [21372]

(6) what assessment he has made of the potential loss of tax revenue as a consequence of allowing investment in residential property as part of a self-invested personal pension scheme from 6 April 2006; [21373]

(7) what discussions he has had with the pensions industry on his proposal to allow investment in residential property as part of a self-invested personal pension scheme from A-day on 6 April 2006. [21374]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government have consulted on the rules for pension simplification twice. The December 2002 consultation Simplifying the taxation of pensions: Increasing Choice and flexibility for all", and the December 2003 consultation Simplifying the taxation of pensions: the Government's proposals" set out the framework and the detail of how the simplification of the taxation of pensions would be implemented. Simplification has been widely welcomed by savers and the financial services and pensions industry.

The regulatory impact assessment (RIA) Simplifying the Taxation of Pensions" published in April 2004 set out an assessment of the potential impact of the whole pensions simplification package.

The Government will keep this aspect of the tax system, as with all others, under review.

Stamp Duty Tax Relief

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the merits of introducing stamp duty tax relief in deprived wards. [21282]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Relief from stamp duty land tax already applies to purchases of residential property in designated disadvantaged areas where the price paid (or the lease premium) does not exceed £150,000. Qualifying areas include some 40 per cent. of electoral divisions in Wales.

Sustainable Development

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of progress towards implementation of measures outlined in the last departmental sustainable development action plan; and what progress has been made against each target. [21998]

 
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John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 320W.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rating for the Department's estate has been attained under the most recent assessment of the application of BREEAM98. [22000]

John Healey: Excellent.

Tax Credits

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid to the organisation awarded the contract to run the tax credits system. [17169]

Dawn Primarolo: The tax credits IT system went live in April 2003, under an outsourcing contract with EDS. On 1 July 2004 a new contract commenced with Capgemini and they took over the running of the IT system. The identifiable costs paid to these suppliers for running the IT tax credits system up to 31 August 2005, including costs in the pre 'go-live' stages, was £236 million, exclusive of VAT.

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has stopped sending out unnecessary duplications of award notices to tax credit claimants; and when changes to stop this happening came into effect. [17639]

Dawn Primarolo: An award notice is sent to a claimant in response to their initial claim, each time a change in their circumstances is reported, when their award is finalised and also when their award is renewed for the next year. A copy goes to both members of a joint household.

HM Revenue and Customs improved the guidance provided to helpline advisers in June 2005. These improvements should ensure that the reporting of multiple changes of circumstances is handled in one process, resulting in the issue of one award notice to cover all the changes reported in the claimant's call.

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time taken from HM Revenue and Customs issuing instructions to an employer to stop paying the working tax credit element of the tax credit award and the payments stopping has been in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) the 2005–06 tax year; and what the value of overpayments that have been accrued as a result has been in each year. [18253]

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

Employers normally have 42 days to implement a stop notice. However, employers pay working tax credit with, and for the same period as, pay, so the timing of the final payment will depend on the individual employer's payroll arrangements. And where the employee has left the employment before the stop date, the employer may have stopped payment of working tax credit before he receives the stop notice.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost per minute is of calls made to the tax credit hotlines; and if he will make a statement. [18591]

 
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Dawn Primarolo: The tax credits hotline numbers in tax credit office attract local or national rates depending on where the call is made from. Costs will vary depending upon the caller's service provider.

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many changes of circumstances were reported to HM Revenue and Customs sections dealing with tax credits in each of the last two financial years. [19263]

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the form requested.

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the National Audit Office Report on the Accounts of the Inland Revenue 2004–05, with particular reference to the potential for tax credit overpayments in 2004–05. [19750]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 1109W.

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the analysis of the household survey data for 2003–04 to provide an estimate of families eligible for, but not claiming, child tax credits will be concluded. [19755]

Dawn Primarolo: Work to produce an estimate of the number of families eligible for, but not claiming child tax credit in 2003–04 is continuing and we expect this analysis to be completed towards the end of 2005–06.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what budget provision has been made by HM Revenue and Customs for tax credit overpayments which will not be recovered in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [19856]

Dawn Primarolo: Budget provisions relating to tax credits are published in the C and AG's Standard Report of the Accounts of the Inland Revenue 2004–05 (available at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/ir-report2005.pdf). This is a cautious provision—it is not a forecast, and HMRC will be seeking to recover money that is due.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the take-up rates of (a) child tax credits and (b) working tax credits. [20006]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my previous reply to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 19 July 2005, Official Report, column 1700W.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his original estimate was for planning purposes of the level of tax credit overpayments in the new tax credits introduced in 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [20009]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2034W.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of tax credits introduced in 2003 on work incentives; and if he will make a statement. [20439]

 
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Dawn Primarolo: The child and working tax credits, introduced in 2003, build upon previous reforms designed to make work pay, including the working families tax credit. Independent evidence showed that the working families tax credit added over 5 per cent. to the lone parent employment rate. The child and working tax credits offer further improvements including:

greater financial security on the move into work through an integrated system of support for families both in and out of work;

enhanced work incentives for second earners through a new, fairer assessment of family income, and a reduction in the rate at which awards are withdrawn;

tackling child care costs as a barrier to work by supporting up to 80 per cent. of eligible child care costs up to a maximum of £300 per week (or £175 for one child) from April 2006;

increased gain to work for tenants working part-time by up to £10.70 per week, through better interaction of working tax credit and housing benefit;

increased gain to work for low-income working people without children, aged over 24 and working more than 30 hours per week, through the extension of in-work support to this group.

Since April 1999 the minimum income guarantee for a family with one child, working full time, has increased from £182 to £260 per week. For the same family working part-time, the minimum income guarantee has increase from £136 to £202 per week now. Tax credits have been an important part of this improvement.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in receipt of tax credits in Northern Ireland on 1 October, broken down by (a) tax credit and (b) parliamentary constituency. [20639]

Dawn Primarolo: The latest snapshot estimates of the numbers of in-work families with tax credits awards at April 2005 are available in Child and Working Tax Credits. April 2005", which can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm. These are also available broken down by country and constituency in Child and Working Tax Credits. Geographical Analyses. April 2005". This publication is available on the HMRC website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have received an overpayment of tax credits in Northern Ireland in each month since their introduction; and if he will make a statement on steps being taken to address this matter. [20642]

Dr. McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the number of tax credit awards overpaid to people in Northern Ireland in 2004–05. [21621]

Dawn Primarolo: Annual estimates for 2003–04 of the numbers of in-work families with tax credits awards, including information on overpayments and underpayments by country within the UK, based on final family circumstances and incomes for 2003–04 are published in Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards. 2003–04 Geographical Analysis." This publication and provisional estimates for the number of in-work families by country with tax credit awards as at selected dates in 2004–05 are available on the HMRC website at:
 
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http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the reports on the new tax credits system prepared by the Office of Government Commerce and provided to the Prime Minister; and on what dates each was received. [20688]

Dawn Primarolo: The Office of Government Commerce provides regular reports to Ministers, including the Prime Minister, on a wide range of issues. Information relating to advice and opinion within Government is not disclosed, as to do so could prejudice internal discussion and advice.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the number of tax credit awards overpaid in 2004–05; what estimate he has made of how much these overpayments are worth; and if he will make a statement. [20689]

Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the level of overpayment of tax credits in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [20721]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Members to the answer given to the hon. Member for St. Albans (Anne Main) on 13 October 2005, Official Report, column 428.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rationale has been applied in determining the level of the provision for doubtful debt relating to tax credit overpayments as reported in the Department of Inland Revenue 2004–05 Accounts; to what extent the provision is calculated on (a) a specific and (b) a general basis; and if he will make a statement. [20691]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him on the 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 1103W.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of the administration of tax credits in 2004–05. [20693]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him on 18 October 2005, Official Report, column 949W.

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 had their awards reduced by (i) 10 per cent., (ii) 25 per cent. and (iii) 100 per cent. for the recovery of a previous year's overpayment. [21819]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 326W.

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money has been overpaid to tax credit recipients in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north east and (d) the UK in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005 to date. [21057]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mid- Bedfordshire (Mrs. Dorries) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 321–22W.
 
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