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29 Nov 2005 : Column 346W—continued
Population
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the mid-year population estimates were in each metropolitan authority in Tyne and Wear in each year between 1999 and 2004; and what estimate he has made of the population of each authority in (a) 2006–07, (b) 2007–08 and (c) 2008–09 based on the estimates for (i) 1999 to 2003 and (ii) 2000 to 2004. [31630]
John Healey [holding answer 24 November 2005]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 29 November 2005:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the population of Tyne and Wear. (31630)
The Office for National Statistics produces official mid-year population estimates and subnational population projections.
Table 1, attached below shows the mid year population estimates for the metropolitan authorities in Tyne and Wear for the years 1999 to 2004.
The most recent set of official subnational population projections are 2003-based and use local trends in births, deaths and migration over the reference period 1999 to 2003 to formulate
- assumptions on levels of these components of change for future years. Updated 2004-based projections (using a 2000 to 2004 reference period) will be published in summer 2006.
Table 2, attached below shows the 2003-based projected mid-year population for the Tyne and Wear metropolitan authorities for years 2006 to 2009.
Note:
Population estimates are rounded to the nearest 100 people.
Source:
Office for National Statistics.
Notes:
1. These are 2003-based mid-year population projections.
2. Subnational population projections are rounded to the nearest 100 people.
Source:
Office for National Statistics
Tax Credits
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the Gateway Review and (b) the business case for the tax credit computer system. [13880]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is provided on a confidential basis and is not generally made public.
To disclose Gateway Review reports would be likely to prejudice both the ability of reviewers to examine the effectiveness, efficiency and economy with which other Government Departments exercise their functions and also the formulation and development of Government policy.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many letters from members of the public were received by the tax credits department from April 2003 to April 2005; what the average response time was in each quarter; and if he will make a statement; [9840]
(2) what the average time taken to respond to correspondence about tax credit claims was in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05; and what that time has been in 2005–06. [19723]
Dawn Primarolo: Between June 2003 and April 2005, the Tax Credit Office (TCO) received around 1.4 million letters from members of the public or their representatives. Figures are not available before June 2003. TCO aims to deal with 80 per cent. of correspondence within 15 working days and 95 per cent. of correspondence within 40 working days. Indicative figures for 2004–05 suggest that TCO responded to around half of correspondence within 15 working days and almost three-quarters within 40 working days. Figures are not available for 2003–04 and indicative figures are not yet available for 2005–06.
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the Gateway Review of tax credit IT systems. [13706]
Dawn Primarolo: A Gateway Review is conducted on a confidential basis and is not generally made public. To disclose Gateway Review reports would be likely to prejudice both the ability of reviewers to examine the effectiveness, efficiency and economy with which other Government Departments exercise their functions and also the formulation and development of Government policy.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit award notices have been issued in each (a) year, (b) quarter and (c) month since 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [19289]
Dawn Primarolo: There are more than 6 million families benefiting from tax credits at present. Each adult included in a tax credit award receives an award notice when the initial claim has been decided, each time a change of circumstance is reported, and another after the end of the year when their claim is renewed.
Child tax credit and working tax credit (CTC and WTC) were introduced in April 2003 replacing children's tax credit, working families' tax credit and disabled person's tax credit; however, (the former) Inland Revenue started issuing CTC and WTC award notices from February 2003. The number of award notices issued in each month since February 2003 is provided in the table.
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(15) Figures to month end.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many calls were received by the tax credits helpline from Northern Ireland residents in August and September. [21615]
Dawn Primarolo: The number of calls received by tax credits helpline from Northern Ireland residents are as follows:
| Number of calls | |
|---|---|
| August 2005 | 44,902 |
| September 2005 | 48,880 |
These figures are where the caller selected an option from the call steering menu and was put in a queue to speak to an adviser.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many TC 647 forms have been (a) requested, (b) printed and (c) sent to tax credit claimants giving details on how their tax credit claim has been worked out since the inception of tax credits. [22005]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 27 October 2005]: Between 3 March 2004 and 27 September 2005 around 370,000 TC647 forms were printed and issued to tax credit claimants. These forms are issued on request.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures have been put in place to compensate claimants where automatic recovery of a tax credit overpayment has been stopped, and the overpayment found to have been caused by official error. [24162]
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Dawn Primarolo: For details of the circumstances in which HM Revenue and Customs will make compensation payments, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 19 July 2005, Official Report, column 1698W.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1057–58W, on tax credits, what proportion of the families contacted returned their renewal forms before 30 September. [26261]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 8 November 2005]: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) made around 341,000 outbound call attempts. Of those, around 81,000 resulted in taxpayer contact, this generated around 3,900 renewals at the time of calling. HMRC also estimate that a further 15,400 claimants subsequently rang back to renew as a direct result of the initial contact.
Overall, for 2004–05, HMRC issued around 4.2 million 2004–05 renewals declarations requiring a response and only around 200,000 of those had not been returned by 30 September 2005.
Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the tax credit IT system differentiates between a credit allocated to a recipient and a payment made to the same recipient. [30403]
Dawn Primarolo: Tax credits are allocated at household, not individual, level. The whole circumstances of the household are considered against a set of rules and elements of entitlement are allocated accordingly. Each element of entitlement is designated as either child tax credit (CTC) or working tax credit (WTC) and a composite entitlement to CTC and WTC calculated.
Where a household contains two adults the claimants nominate which individual will receive payments for each tax credit. This can mean that one member of the household receives both credits or that they receive one credit each.
While individual payments are physically made to one person payments are treated as being made to the household. Members of the household are equally entitled to the payments and equally liable to repay any amount which is overpaid (joint and several liability).
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a claimant whose circumstances make him eligible for working tax credit and child tax credit is able to claim working tax credit only. [31521]
Dawn Primarolo: The child and working tax credits are a single, seamless system of support for families with children and for low-paid people in work. In practice a claim for working tax credit is also a claim for child tax credit if a claimant is eligible for both. The reverse is also true.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods the Department has developed with the voluntary sector to target support to vulnerable families claiming tax credits. [31526]
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Dawn Primarolo: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my statement to the Treasury Sub-Committee of 26 October 2005.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants had their awards processed using an emergency national insurance number in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05; what the figures are for 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [31545]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 24 November 2004]: The information is not available.
HM Revenue and Customs could provide details of the number of current claims with a temporary tax credits reference number only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount outstanding in backdated tax credits that have not yet been paid where a claim has been processed but a system error has delayed the generation of an award of tax credits was in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05; and how much is outstanding in 2005–06 to date. [31546]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 24 November 2005]: The information is not available. Where payments cannot be made via the system they can be paid manually. I refer the hon. gentleman to the reply I gave him on 15 November 2004, Official Report, column 1212W.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written statement of 26 May 2005, Official Report, columns 22–23WS, on tax credit overpayments, with how many voluntary sector bodies discussions have been held on providing more active support and advice for families claiming tax credits; and on what dates. [31547]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer to the minutes of evidence taken before the Treasury Sub-Committee on Wednesday 26 October 2005. I informed Members that HMRC is discussing with the Citizens Advice Bureau how they can best work together with a view to developing pilots to support claimants better, including offering face-to-face contact with the most vulnerable groups.
The Department is also working with the HMRC Tax Credits Consultation Group, which includes representatives from the voluntary sector and other interested parties, to speed up improvement in key areas. In addition to the group's regular meetings, a number of working parties have been set up. Working parties, made up of representatives and officials, are considering a range of issues such as a review of Code of Practice 26, the Helpline, HMRC tax credit website and complaints and redress.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish a system of tax credits similar to that used in the United States to encourage employers to help their staff to improve their level of skills; and if he will make a statement. [31846]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Government recognise that improving the skills of the work force plays an important part in increasing productivity and reducing social exclusion. The financial assistance available to
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encourage employers and learners to improve their skills is set out the Government's Skills Strategy and recent White Paper, Skills: Getting on in business and getting on in work.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases in Scotland where a tax credit has been processed there was a delay in the computer system generating an award of child or working tax credit in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05; and how many such cases there have been in 2005–06. [33021]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
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