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1 Dec 2005 : Column 659W—continued

EU Accounts

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent auditing of the EU accounts. [33426]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: As always, we are studying the European Court of Auditors Report on the 2004 EC Budget carefully as we attach a great deal of importance to financial management. It is disappointing that, for the eleventh year in succession, the European Court of Auditors has been unable to give a positive statement of assurance on the EC Budget for 2004. It is encouraging, however, that there have been noticeable improvements since 2003 with pre-accession expenditure once again being cleared, as it was in 2002, and, for the first time, certain areas of agricultural expenditure also gaining clearance. This has meant that around 35 percent. of EC Budget expenditure was cleared in 2004 compared with only 6 percent. in 2003. The council, led by the UK presidency, has for the first time taken action, agreeing conclusions on 8 November 2005 that will contribute to bringing about a step change in financial management and control.

Illegal Drugs

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths in Sandwell illegal drugs were the primary cause in each year since 1997. [33281]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
 
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Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. John Spellar, dated 1 December 2005:

2 Usual residents of Sandwell. 3 Data are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Low-income Families

Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to encourage saving among families on low incomes. [33715]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: In addition to tax-relief on savings offered to all adults, the Government are using the Saving Gateway to explore how matching can encourage families on lower incomes to start saving. As announced in Budget 2005, the second Saving Gateway is now up and running and accounts will run for 18 months. Evidence gathered through this pilot will be used to inform the development of matching as a central pillar in the Government's strategy for promoting saving and asset-ownership.

Additionally, the Government have introduced the child trust fund, a groundbreaking initiative designed to strengthen the saving habit of future generations. Every child born on or after 1 September 2002 receives a £250 voucher from the Government to invest in a long-term savings and investment account with families on lower incomes receiving £500. Family and friends can add up to £1,200 a year to each account and there is no tax for them to pay on any interest or gains made on this money.

Milton Keynes Development

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent since 1975 on land purchase and infrastructure to enable the development of Milton Keynes; and what payments have been returned to his Department through (a) the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, (b) the Commission for New Towns and (c) English Partnerships in that period. [28193]

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
 
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The information requested will take some time to collate, I will write to my hon. Friend in due course and a copy will be published in the Official Report.

National Insurance (Freelance Musicians)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he consulted (a) the Musicians' Union, (b) the Association of British Orchestras, (c) individual major orchestras, (d) the Arts Council for (i) England, (ii)Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland and (e) Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on requirements for freelance self-employed musicians and the orchestras and ensembles that engage them to pay Class 1 national insurance contributions. [33623]

Dawn Primarolo: The changes were introduced on 17 July 1998 following a press release by the Social Security Minister, John Denham on 15 July 1998. At the time responsibility for national insurance liability for entertainers which included actors, singers or musicians fell to the Department for Work and Pensions, or as it was known then the Department of Social Security. The Department of Social Security consulted interested parties before the changes were introduced.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) the Musicians' Union, (b) the Association of British Orchestras, (c) individual major orchestras and (d) the Arts Council for (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii)Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland were informed of requirements for freelance self-employed musicians and the orchestras and ensembles that engage them to pay Class 1 national insurance contributions. [33624]

Dawn Primarolo: The Department of Social Security, which was then responsible for policy on national insurance contributions issued a press release on 15 July 1998 to announce the revised national insurance arrangements for actors and musicians and changes to legislation from the 17 July 1998.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps were taken between 1988 and 2004 to recover extra revenues from orchestras and ensembles resulting from the 1998 requirements for freelance self-employed musicians and the orchestras and ensembles that engage them to pay Class 1 national insurance contributions. [33625]

Dawn Primarolo: When the regulations were introduced in 1998, employers (including orchestras) engaging entertainers covered by the regulations were expected to comply voluntarily with their obligation to pay Class 1 national insurance contributions.

HMRC ensures employers' operation of their statutory obligations through its employer compliance programme. Employers are selected for visits on the basis of risk profiling. The potential widespread failure of orchestras to deduct Class 1 national insurance contributions did not become evident until 2004, when HMRC undertook customer support activity in the orchestra sector.

Nigeria

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects the Government to be
 
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paid by Nigeria under the debt settlement agreed at the Paris Club in October; and what proportion this represents of 2006 UK overseas development assistance to Nigeria, excluding debt cancellation. [34179]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: On 20 October 2005, the Paris Club of official creditors agreed with Nigeria to write off approximately $18 billion, or 60 per cent., of Nigeria's debt to those creditors. Nigeria will use part of its oil windfall to pay the remaining $12.4 billion of debts to creditors. As a result of this deal, at least $1 billion a year will be freed in Nigeria, which the authorities intend to use for poverty reduction including employing an extra 120,000 teachers and putting 3.5 million children into school.

As part of the deal, the UK will cancel approximately £2.8 billion and receive payments of £1.66 billion. As the debts owed to the UK are denominated in a mix of currencies, these numbers may shift with exchange rates. DFID is supporting Nigeria by scaling up its assistance from £70 million in 2005–06 to £100 million in 2007–08 and encouraging the international community to increase its support to the country.


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