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20 Dec 2005 : Column 2801W—continued
Palestinian Economy
Mr. Ancram:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his speech at the Treasury and World Bank conference to promote the economy in Palestinian
20 Dec 2005 : Column 2802W
territories, how much new money his Department is making available for this initiative; and what assistance he plans to provide to the private sector firms. [39271]
John Healey: HM Treasury does not provide direct financial support to the Palestinian territories. UK overseas aid is provided via the Department for International Development and through the EU. In 2005–06 total UK contributions will be $108 million.
As well as co-hosting a conference on 13 December 2005 with the World Bank which focused on Palestinian economic growth through the private sector, the Chancellor has built support under the UK's presidency of the EU for an international loan guarantee scheme to improve access to finance for small firms.
Pay Supplements
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value is of (a) pay supplements, (b) bonuses and (c) other incentive packages that are payable in his Department on the basis of geographic location; how many people are in receipt of each payment; and what the total cost to his Department of each payment was in 2004–05. [35928]
John Healey: HM Treasury is based in Central London and paid £2,000 p.a. London allowance to 81 staff in SCS Payband 1 during 2004–05. The total cost to the Department was £208,539 (0.4 per cent.) of the pay bill.
PAYE
Mark Durkan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pay-as-you earn accounts have been transferred out of Foyle House Tax Office in the last three years; to what other offices the accounts were transferred; and if he will make a statement. [39269]
John Healey: Londonderry is one of eight offices forming the Northern Ireland Counties Area. Areas do not keep statistics on the number of individual Pay As You Earn records transferred or where those records are transferred to.
Personal Debt
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average personal (a) unsecured debt and (b) total debt was as a percentage of income in each year since 1997. [38474]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 20 December 2005:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the average personal (a) unsecured debt and, (b) total debt as a percentage of income in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (38474)
The information requested is shown in the table below. The data for debt and households' gross disposable income used in the calculations are for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. The information for the household sector is not available separately. The denominator in the calculations is the population aged 16+.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average total personal debt servicing level as a percentage of income was for each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement. [38750]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 20 December 2005:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average total personal debt servicing level as a percentage of income was for each year since 1998. I am replying in her absence. (38750)
The table below shows payments of interest on loans. Capital repayments are not available. The data for income and interest on loans are for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. Information for the household sector is not available separately.
Police Force Funding
Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra funding in (a) cash, (b) real and (c) percentage terms was made available by his Department to (i) the Metropolitan police and (ii) other police forces in England and Wales to fund the policing of international summits, conferences and state visits hosted by Her Majesty's Government since 1997, broken down by event. [38498]
Mr. Des Browne:
The Home Office manage policing for England and Wales and costs for events of this nature are managed within departmental spending allocations. The Treasury has made no direct transfers to forces. However, the Treasury did provide specific funding of £20 million to the Scottish Executive to assist with the policing costs of the 2005 G8 summit in Scotland.
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Pre-Budget Report
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on the UK economy of taxation changes announced in the pre-Budget report. [38601]
John Healey: When developing taxation policy, the Government takes account of a wide range of factors, including economic effects. The Government's approach to taxation balances the need to finance better quality public services, deliver fairness and promote sustainable development and economic activity while at the same time ensuring that the UK benefits from the advantages of being a relatively lightly taxed economy.
Public Relations Companies
Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the public relations companies that have had contracts with (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations since May 1997. [39081]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Economic Secretary (Mr. Lewis) to the hon. Members for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Penning) and Cheltenham (Martin Norwood) on 2 December 2005, Official Report, column 803W. Further analysis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Public-Private Partnerships
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the Government's policy to fundadditional costs arising out of the seven and a halfyear break clause in public/private partnership contracts. [36759]
John Healey: Variation mechanisms in PPP/PFI contracts are specific to each contract. Changes in costs from variations to PPP/PFI contracts would be for the account of the procuring authority that has entered into the contract.
Rebated Diesel Fuel
Mr. Greg Knight:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the timetable is for the re-negotiation of the EU derogation on rebated diesel fuel; and if he will make a statement; [38912]
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(2) what recent discussions he has had with (a) ministerial colleagues and (b) EU transport Ministers about the re-negotiation of the EU derogation on rebated diesel fuel; and if he will make a statement; [38913]
(3) what the Government's policy is on the EU derogation on rebated diesel fuel; and if he will make a statement. [38918]
John Healey: The UK does not require a derogation to charge a reduced rate of duty on rebated gas oil. The Energy Products Directive (EPD), however, prohibits the use of rebated gas oil in leisure boats for private use, and the UK enjoys a derogation from this provision. This derogation expires at 31 December 2006 and can be renewed only with the unanimous agreement of the Council.
Officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs are in regular contact with officials at the European Commission about this matter.
We have already announced in the pre-Budget report that we are minded to apply for an extension of this derogation. We will issue an initial regulatory impact assessment on the effects of ending the derogation early next year and this document will be the basis for further information gathering and discussions.
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