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9 Nov 2005 : Column 497W—continued
Construction Industry Scheme
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received from the construction industry on the timing of the introduction of the new Construction Industry Scheme. [26230]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers receive representations on a wide range of issues, including the Construction Industry Scheme.
Departmental Estate
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) land and (b) property his Department owns in Tamworth constituency. [26154]
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John Healey: The Treasury owns no land or property in the Tamworth constituency.
Departmental Staff (Literacy and Numeracy)
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics. [23767]
John Healey: HM Treasury uses competency-based recruitment and as such focuses on skills rather than qualifications. Therefore no records are kept on the specific qualifications which new recruits have achieved.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of his Department. [23800]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 25 October 2005, Official Report, column 308W.
Duty Free Allowance
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the duty free allowance per person was for (a) visitors to the United Kingdom and (b) British citizens in (i) 1975, (ii) 1977, (iii) 1979, (iv) 1983, (v) 1987, (vi) 1992, (vii) 1997 and (viii) each year since 2001; [26359]
(2) what recent discussions he has held with the European Commission about the current UK duty free allowance; and if he will make a statement. [26360]
John Healey: European Council Directive 69/169/EEC sets a tax and duty free allowance for all travellers bringing goods for personal use (excluding wine, spirits, tobacco and perfume) from outside the EU into the UK. This allowance applies equally to visitors to the United Kingdom and to British citizens.
When the directive was first agreed in 1969, the allowance was set at 45 Euros (£36). In 1994 it was increased to 175 Euros (£136), and the UK conversion was revalorised from £136 to £145 in 1995 to reflect exchange rate fluctuations. Since then the allowance has not been revised.
In order to change the tax and duty free allowance, the European Commission would have to make a proposal and unanimous agreement among member states would have to be reached. The Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote to the Commission at Budget 2005 proposing that the allowance be increased to £1,000. The Commission has expressed support in principle for the Government's proposal that the allowance should be raised, and it is hoped they will soon come forward with draft legislation to increase the allowance and thereby reduce unnecessary restrictions on travellers bringing goods into the EU for their own use.
Separate quantitative limits apply for wine, spirits, tobacco and perfume. These have not been revised since the directive was first agreed and are listed as follows:
Quantitative limits for exemptions from tax and duty for travellers bringing goods for personal use from outside the EU into the UK:
One litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent. volume; or two litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many vehicles were confiscated by customs officers as a result of the driver carrying goods above the duty free allowance in each of the last 10 years. [26362]
John Healey: HM Revenue and Customs records of the number of vehicles seized do not differentiate between the nature of the offences in each case. Details of the total number of vehicles seized across the UK in the years 1994–95 to 1999–2000 are as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 600 |
| 1995–96 | 1,446 |
| 1996–97 | 2,002 |
| 1997–98 | 2,929 |
| 1998–99 | 3,193 |
| 1999–2000 | 5,200 |
| 2000–01 | 10,219 |
| 2001–02 | 11,064 |
| 2002–03 | 8,616 |
| 2003–04 | 6,848 |
The number ofvehicles seized in 2004–05 will be published in the Customs Annual Report, published later this year.
Economic Indicators
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methodology he uses to assess the UK's economic performance compared with other EU countries. [26237]
John Healey:
The Treasury paper on Long-term global economic challenges and opportunities for Europe" provides information on the economic performances of EU member states.
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Employment Statistics
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were (a) employed and (b) unemployed in each electoral ward in Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997. [26161]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Brian Jenkins, dated 9 November 2005:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment and unemployment. (26161)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment and unemployment from the Labour Force Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions. Estimates of employment and unemployment are not available for wards as the survey sample size for such areas is too small.
Table 1, attached, shows the 2001 Census figures for numbers persons aged 16 to 74 in employment who were resident in the electoral wards of the Tamworth constituency.
ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. Table 2, attached, shows annual averages, for 1996 to 2004, for wards within the Tamworth constituency.
(7) Electoral wards are defined on the basis of the boundaries as they were in 1991.
Source:
2001 Census
(8) Electoral wards are defined on the basis of the boundaries as they were in 1991.
Source:
Jobcentre Plus administrative systems.
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