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16 Nov 2005 : Column 1238W—continued
International Companies
Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's revenue receipts from international companies operating in the UK have been in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the receipts from that source in each of the next three financial years. [27052]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available. The only figures available are from a recent ad hoc exercise that indicated that large foreign owned companies paid about £7 billion of UK corporation tax in their 2004 accounts—around a fifth of total liabilities of all companies.
Local Government
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to increase local government finances. [26542]
Mr. Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
The Spending Review 2004 settlement provides for continued investment in local authority services. This builds on the significant additional funding which we have been able to provide to councils since taking office—Government grant has increased by 33 per cent. in real terms since 1997. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will shortly be announcing the provisional local government finance settlement, which will cover 2006–07 and 2007–08.
Public Service Pensions
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) pursuant to Table 5.1 of the HM Treasury report of December 2004 long-term public finance report: an analysis of fiscal sustainability; what the projected cost of public service pensions for each decade is expected to be, based on the framework agreement announced on 18 October; [24875]
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(2) if he will break down savings on public services pensions announced on 18 October 2005 by the periods (a) 2003–04, (b) 2013–14, (c) 2023–24, (d) 2033–34, (e) 2043–44 and (f) 2053–54; and how much of the savings he expects to arise from (i) future and (ii) current employees. [24876]
Mr. Des Browne: The pattern of projected future cash flows at 10-yearly intervals over the next 50 years and the allocation of savings between current and future employees will depend on the outcomes of scheme specific negotiations and it would be premature to say what they will be.
Tax Credits
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the tax credits MPs' hotline is able to make outgoing calls on request to contact constituents of hon. Members who are suffering problems with their tax credits. [22002]
Dawn Primarolo: The MPs' hotline to the Tax Credit Office is a discrete service designed to give hon. Members a direct and accessible link into the Department to discuss matters relating to their constituents' tax credits claims.
Although the hotline has in exceptional cases been able to contact claimants directly, the service is not set up to work in this way. Doing so would divert resources from other areas, degrading the service available to MPs and other claimants.
Individual claimants should call the tax credits helpline to discuss any concerns or queries they may have. Callers can ring the tax credits helpline seven days a week any time between 8 am and 8 pm, 362 days a year.
VAT (Care Services)
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make it his policy to exempt people with a disability from VAT charges on social care services they receive from private or not-for-profit organisations; and if he will make a statement; [28497]
(2) what recent representations he has received on zero-rating VAT charges on social care delivered by the private and not-for-profit sector; and if he will make a statement. [28499]
Dawn Primarolo: Welfare services for people with disabilities are already exempt from VAT when provided by local authorities, charities and state-regulated private welfare institutions and agencies. For the purposes of the exemption 'welfare services' includes all types of personal care, and also support and assistance with routine domestic tasks where the recipient of the service cannot perform the task safely or adequately, or without significant pain or discomfort.
This reflects the widest exemption available under our agreements with our European partners.
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I am not aware of any representations having been received by the Treasury about VAT zero-rating of social care in the past year.
Under our agreements with our European partners, we are not able to extend our existing VAT zero rates or introduce any new ones.
DEFENCE
Armed Forces Personnel (Kettering)
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 103W, on Territorial Army (Kettering), what the locations are of the units listed. [29082]
Mr. Touhig: The locations of Territorial Army units within a 35 mile radius of Kettering Town, can be found in the following table:
Deepcut Review
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he published Joint Service Publication 751; if he will make this document available to Nicholas Blake QC for use in the Deepcut Review; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [26307]
Mr. Touhig:
The Joint Casualty and Compassionate Policy and Procedures (JSP 751) was published in March 2005. A copy will be made available to Nicholas Blake QC should he request one. Copies of Joint Service Publication 751 will be placed in the Library of the House.
16 Nov 2005 : Column 1241W
Departmental Spending
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1260W, on departmental spending, if he will itemise the works of art bought in 2004–05; and what the cost of each was. [28654]
Mr. Touhig:
The works of art purchased during 2004–05 were a set of four paintings by Zil Hoque—"Nimbus I, II, III, IV"—the set having a cost of £160,000, excluding VAT, and a set of four paintings by Louise Cattrell—"Eyrie, Aerial, Tempest and Keep"—this set having a cost of £72,000, excluding VAT.
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Drug Misuse (Armed Forces)
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department collects on the use of illegal recreational drugs by service personnel; and how many disciplinary cases arising from drug misuse there were in each of the armed forces in each of the past five years. [26872]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 14 November 2005]: Each of the Services maintains records of all disciplinary proceedings, including those where the charges involved are related to illegal use of recreational drugs.
The numbers of convictions in disciplinary cases over the past five years 1 , in which drug misuse was a factor involved, are as follows:
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Navy | |||||
| Summary dealings | 4 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Courts martial | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| Army | |||||
| Summary dealings | n/a | 29 | 25 | 21 | 38 |
| Courts martial | 11 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
| Royal Air Force | |||||
| Summary dealings | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Courts martial | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 |
n/a = Not available.
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