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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 10 November 2005
TREASURY
Economic Growth (Immigration)
7. Mr. Lilley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions he has made, in forecasting economic growth, about the impact of immigration on (a) the growth of the labour force and (b) the rate of growth of productivity per head of the existing labour force. [26728]
John Healey: Net inward migration makes a positive contribution to growth of the UK labour force and the trend rate of output growth. Details of the Treasury's methodology for projecting trend growth and its productivity and labour input components are set out in the publication Trend Growth: Recent Developments and Prospects" (2002). The projection for net inward migration is based on projections by the Government Actuary's Department. The Treasury's latest published economic forecast and underlying assumptions for trend growth and its components were set out in Budget 2005, and will be updated in the forthcoming pre-Budget report.
Climate Change
12. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned on the relative costs of energy sources and tackling climate change. [26733]
John Healey: This Government attach great importance to tackling climate change, as demonstrated by their decision to make climate change a priority for the UK presidencies of the G8 and EU. To build up our knowledge base of the challenges we face the Chancellor has asked Sir Nick Stern to lead a major review of the economics of climate change. This review will allow us to understand more comprehensively the nature of the economic challenges we face and how they can be met, in the UK and globally.
The review will report to the Prime Minister and Chancellor by autumn 2006.
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Biofuels (Capital Allowances)
13. Chris McCafferty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the capital allowances are for the development of biofuel production. [26734]
John Healey: Budget 2005 announced that the Government considered that offering enhanced capital allowances for the cleanest biofuels processing plants would be a useful additional measure of support to the UK biofuels industry, subject to Commission approval. We are currently undertaking further detailed work on this issue and will update the position as part of the pre-Budget report. Where combined heat and power is used as part of biofuels plant, that equipment is already eligible for a 100 per cent. ECA.
Millennium Development Goals
14. Colin Burgon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution he is making towards meeting the 2015 targets for reducing world poverty. [26735]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: UK aid will reach nearly £6.5 billion a year by 2007–08, and the Chancellor has announced that we will reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent. overseas development aid as proportion of gross national income in 2013.
Stamp Duty
16. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised by stamp duty in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2004–05. [26738]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The amount of revenue raised in 1996–97 by stamp duty on residential land and property transactions was £675 million.
The amount of revenue raised in 2004–05 by stamp duty land tax on residential land and property transactions was £5.5 billion.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised from stamp duty, on (a) residential and (b) commerical property in (i) each Government office region, (ii) Wales, (iii)Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996–97. [26938]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Latest estimates of the amount of stamp duty raised on residential land and property transactions are available at:
Latest estimates for stamp duty raised on commercial transactions are given in the table.
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European Single Currency
17. Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the performance of the European single currency. [26739]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: To be fully equipped for the global economy, Europe must become more open and outward looking, more flexible and competitive, and more committed to reform to compete worldwide and move to full employment. Membership of the European single currency places an additional premium on flexibility in capital, product and labour markets since the ability to vary national interest rates and the nominal exchange rate between euro area countries no longer exists.
Debt Cancellation
18. Mr. Devine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the cancellation of debt for the world's poorest countries. [26740]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: At the annual meetings in September we secured agreement from the IMF and World Bank for multilateral debt relief for up to 38 of the world's most indebted countries of a full 100 per cent. Britain goes further than this and we will unilaterally service our share of the debts of other poor countries where the resources freed up will be used for poverty reduction.
Illegal Working
19. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the impact on tax revenues and the economy of illegal working by (a)British and EU citizens, (b) asylum seekers and (c)illegal immigrants. [26741]
John Healey: It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the impact on tax revenues and the economy of illegal working by British and EU citizens, asylum seekers or illegal immigrants.
Tax Credits
20. Mr. Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the administration of the tax credits system. [26742]
Dawn Primarolo:
In my statement to the House of 26 May I set out a series of important measures for improving the administration of tax credits. I updated the House on progress in a statement to the Treasury Sub-Committee on 26 October.
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Over 6 million families—nine out of 10 families in this country—are benefiting from tax credits. For the majority of families the system is working well. And it has helped lift more than half a million children out of poverty since 1998–99.
24. Meg Hillier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Hackney, South and Shoreditch received tax credits in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [26746]
Dawn Primarolo: In 2003–04 there were on average 4,600 families in the Hackney, South and Shoreditch constituency who benefited from child and working tax credits. Figures for 2004–05 will be available after family incomes and circumstances have been finalised.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimants have made incorrect claims for (a) working tax credits and (b) child tax credits in 2005. [22962]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the constituent of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead, Mrs. Williams of Slatey Road, Wirral, will receive the tax credits owed to her since July. [25131]
Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs is statutorily debarred from disclosing information relating to the tax affairs of individuals. The Tax Credit Office will however, be writing to the right hon. Gentleman very shortly about his constituent's claim for tax credits.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the expenditure on child tax credit for parents of 16 to 19-year-olds in full-time education for (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08; [25380]
(2) what the estimated expenditure is on child benefit for 16 to 19-year-olds in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08. [25384]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
The latest figures on the number of children by age forwhom child benefit is received are published in Child Benefit. Quarterly Statistics. May 2005". The publication can be found on the HMRC website under the link given below:
The latest figures available on the number of children by age for whom child tax credit is received are published in Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. April 2005". The publication can be found on the HMRC website under the link below:
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