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26 Jan 2006 : Column 2244W—continued
UK Citizens (Overseas Detention)
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of all United Kingdom citizens who are being held without charge abroad and have been so held for a period of 12 months or more. [45388]
Dr. Howells: We are aware of three British nationals who have been held without charge abroad for a period of 12 months or more. For confidentiality reasons, we are unable to give the names of any British nationals held abroad without their permission.
United States
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the number of individuals who have been subject to international rendition by the United States involving UK territory in each of the last 10 years. [45374]
Dr. Howells:
I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's written ministerial statement of 20 January 2006, Official Report, columns 37–38WS.
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Western Sahara
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the legality of the EU-Morocco Fishing Agreement in respect of the waters off the coast of the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement. [44576]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The negotiation of such EC agreements falls within the responsibility of the European Commission. The Government will of course consider its position on the draft agreement as part of the approval process, and in order to do so is currently awaiting further information from the Commission.
TREASURY
North West Region
11. Jim Dobbin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relationship between the level of skills in the work force and economic growth in the north west region; and if he will make a statement. [45623]
John Healey: Increases in the economy's trend rate of growth are supported by how many people are in work, and how productive they are.
Skills are one of the drivers of productivity and jobs, which is why as a Government, we have more than doubled overall investment in education and skills since 1997.
The NW development agency has led the preparation of the regional economic strategy, which sets out the contribution of skills to regional and local growth in the North West. And this week I met the chair and chief executive of the Skills for Business network, and I know that they and the local Learning and Skills Council are working out with the Rochdale development agency how the skills needs of the new Kingsway Business Park, which is set to bring around 7,000 jobs to my hon. Friend's area, can best be met.
Immunisation
13. Mrs. Dean: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he expects to make towards an international finance facility for immunisation at the forthcoming G8 meeting of international Finance Ministers in Russia; and if he will make a statement. [45625]
John Healey: The IFF for Immunisation (IFFIM) was launched in September 2005 with contributions from the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Sweden. Since then, Norway has also announced its participation and we are continuing to urge other countries—including those in the G8—to join.
The IFFIM will provide $4 billion over 10 years to support vaccinations in the world's poorest countries. It is estimated that the frontloaded IFFIM resources will save a total of 10 million lives.
Futurebuilders Fund
14. Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid out from the Futurebuilders Fund; and to how many recipients. [45626]
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John Healey: The Futurebuilders Fund has committed more than £26 million through 130 grants and investments.
A further 22 offers are currently being negotiated.
Capital Transfer Tax
15. Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with interested parties on capital transfer tax. [45627]
Dawn Primarolo: No Treasury Ministers have had any recent discussions with interested parties on Capital Transfer Tax, which was abolished in 1986.
Women's Finances
16. Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the need to encourage women to plan their finances for all of their lives. [45628]
Dawn Primarolo: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has commissioned a comprehensive baseline survey which will show the level of financial capability within the UK population. The results will be reported in March 2006.
This will enable the FSA to monitor changes in financial capability and assess the effectiveness of measures under the National Strategy for Financial Capability.
Tax Credits
17. Mr. Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of changing the tax credits income increase disregard from £2,500 to £25,000. [45629]
Dawn Primarolo: The increase in the disregard from £2,500 to £25,000 from April 2006 is part of a package of measures announced in the 2005 pre-Budget report that is expected to have the following Exchequer effect: -£100 million in 2006–07, +£200 million in 2007–08, +£50 million in 2008–09, -£50 million in 2009–10 and -£150 million in 2010–11.
It is not possible to produce robust estimates of the impact of individual elements of the package of measures, as there are significant interactions between the different components.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which telephone numbers are being given to tax credit claimants who wish to make a complaint; what the average length of time taken is before a caller speaks to an adviser; and how many calls have been (a) answered, (b) unanswered and (c) handled by an adviser in each month since April 2003; [18639]
(2) how many calls were (a) made to and (b) answered by the tax credits helpline in each month from January to September. [20441]
Dawn Primarolo:
A new code of practice which replaces the Inland Revenue code of practice 1 'Putting things right" and Customs and Excise Notice 1000 is
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planned and is being formulated. The current code of practice 1 quotes a telephone number 0151 966 1151 for callers to use if they wish to complain about tax credits. This number is no longer in operation and callers who wish to make a complaint are advised, by recorded message, to ring the tax credits helpline.
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A table setting out details of average length of time taken before a caller speaks to an adviser; and how may calls have been answered, abandoned and handled by an adviser in each month since July 2005 is shown in the table. For figures relating to April 2004 to June 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 July 2005, Official Report, column 721W.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit renewals were not received by the deadline this year; how many termination notices were issued; and how many awards have been terminated; [23571]
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people who failed to renew their tax credit applications by the annual deadline in 2005 have ceased receiving payments; [41717]
(2) how many people did not renew their tax credit applications by the annual deadline in 2005. [42123]
Dawn Primarolo: At 30 September 2005 around 700,000 tax credits claimants had not renewed their award.
Around 208,000 awards were terminated and not subsequently reinstated.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) letters and (b) contacts through the MPs' hotline his Department has received from each hon. Member on the issue of tax credits, listed in descending order according to the total number of such representations received. [39302]
Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of letters about tax credits and calls to the MP hotline for all hon. Members is available only at disproportionate cost. However, between the resumption of Parliament on 10 October 2005 and 30 November 2005: an estimate indicates:
(a) 20 right hon. and hon. Members have sent 10 or more letters to HM Treasury or HM Revenue and Customs about tax credits. Of those, one hon. Member has written 20 or more letters and one has written more than 30 letters about tax credits.
(b) 26 right hon. and hon. Members have called tax credit office's MP hotline on 10 or more occasions. Of those, nine have called 20 or more times and one hon. Member has called 30 or more times.
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit overpayments have been written off (a) in part and (b) in full in respect of Castle Point residents since tax credits were introduced. [42832]
Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available at constituency level and in the format requested.
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families were in receipt of (a) less than £1,000, (b) between £1,000 and £2,500, (c) between £2,500 and £5,000, (d) between £5,000 and £10,000, (e) between £10,000 and £20,000 and (f) above £20,000 of working tax credit and child tax credit in (i) the UK and (ii) Gravesham constituency in each of the last three years. [43268]
Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the average number of in-work families in the UK during 2003–04 by level of annualised finalised tax credit entitlement.
(1) Annualised 2003–04 entitlement based on circumstances throughout the year and finalised 2003–04 incomes.
(2) Excluding families with awards tapered to zero.
(3) Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.
The following table shows the average number of in-work families in the Gravesham constituency in 2003–04 by level of annualised finalised tax credit entitlement.
(4) Annualised 2003–04 entitlement based on circumstances throughout the year and finalised 2003–04 incomes.
(5) Excluding families with awards tapered to zero.
(6) Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.
Figures for later years are not yet available.
Mr. Paul Goodman:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many claimants have reported a change in the number of people in their household in relation to a tax credit claim in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) type of tax credit and (b) region; [43648]
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(2) how many claimants have had their tax credit payments (a) increased and (b) decreased as a result of reporting a change in the number of people in their household in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (i) type of tax credit, (ii) region and (iii) average amount. [43649]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1578W.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many tax credit claimants have reported changes in their income (a) within and (b) after three months of those changes taking effect other than changes caused by (i) a change in the number of adults in the household, (ii) leaving the UK and (iii) a fall in the claimant's childcare costs by more than £10 a week in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (A) type of tax credit and (B) region; how many of these claimants have had their tax credit payment (1) increased and (2) decreased; and by how much in each case; [43698]
(2) how many tax credit claimants have (a) reported and (b) reported after three months of the changes taking place changes in their income caused by (i) a change in their number of adults in the household within which the claimant lives, (ii) the claimant leaving the UK and (iii) a fall in the claimant's child care costs by more than £10 a week after three months of those changes taking effect in each year for which figures are available; and whether he will break these figures down by type of tax credit and by region. [43699]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested in the first question and part (b) of the second question is not available. Only annual income is required for tax credit purposes. When income change is notified within the year, records are updated with new income levels and entitlement is reassessed if necessary.
In answer to the second question, for parts (a) and (b), where (i) and (ii) occur, the award would cease but this would not prompt a change in income. In the case of (iii) where there is a fall in child care costs, income would not be affected.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much has been waived in relation to overpayments of tax credit claimants as a consequence of official error having been admitted in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) type of tax credit and (b) region; [43714]
(2) in how many cases of tax credit overpayment (a) identified and (b) not identified at an annual review as a consequence of official error being admitted was overpayment (i) partially recovered and (ii) not recovered in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (A) type of tax credit and (B) region; [43718]
(3) in how many tax credit cases where it has been found (a) in connection with an annual review and (b) not in connection with an annual review that tax credits had been overpaid official error has been admitted in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (i) type of tax credit and (ii) region. [43729]
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Dawn Primarolo: For the total amount of overpayments written off as a result of official error I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2005, Official Report, column 1214W.
The amounts written off in October 2005 and November 2005 are around £11,000,000 and £4,000,000 respectively.
It is not possible to break these amounts down between child tax credit and working tax credit or between regions.
There is no information available about the number of overpayments partially written off. However, HMRC wrote off around 10,300 disputed overpayments in 2004–05 and around 153,000 between 4 April 2005 and 30 November 2005.
HMRC's Code of Practice 26 'What happens if we have paid you too much Tax Credit?' explains how HMRC deals with overpayments made as a result of their error.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many telephone calls have been (a) made and (b) answered in relation to tax credit claims in each region in each year for which figures are available. [43735]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Jenny Willott) on 17 January 2006, Official Report, column 1209W
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money he estimates has been lost due to (a) fraud and (b) error in each tax credit (i) in total and (ii) through online claims in each year for which figures are available. [43760]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC are currently undertaking a programme of work on finalised 2003–04 awards—the first year of working tax credit and child tax credit—to provide more information on the level of claimant error and fraud. This is due to be completed in spring 2006.
HMRC use a number of sophisticated tools to help detect fraudulent claims made for tax credits. Whenever possible this is aimed at stopping fraudulent claims from being paid but they also monitor payments to detect known traits of organised fraud. I refer the hon. Member to the statements I made to the House about organised fraud on 18 January 2006, Official Report, columns 1357–8W and 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 41WS.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the online system for claiming tax credits has been suspended in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [44585]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 20 January 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 55WS.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been overpaid to tax credit recipients in West Lancashire constituency; and how many tax credit recipients received overpayments in each year since tax credits were introduced. [45121]
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Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mrs. Dorries) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 321W.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff within HM Revenue and Customs have been tasked with investigating (a) tax credit fraud and (b) other criminal activity by organised gangs in each of the last three years, broken down by grade; and if he will make a statement. [45223]
Dawn Primarolo: To disclose details of the location and numbers of staff engaged in tackling serious and organised criminality would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many claims for working tax credit have been made by workers from the accession countries since May 2004; how many of these claims have been discovered to be fraudulent; what estimate he has made of the cost of such fraudulent claims; and if he will make a statement; [45325]
(2) how much has been paid to workers from the accession countries in (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit since May 2004; [45326]
(3) how many incidents of alleged fraudulent claims by individuals from other EU member states for (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit have been reported to HM Revenue and Customs in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland; and how many of these reports have resulted in the payment of tax credits being stopped; [45329]
(4) what estimate he has made of (a) the number of fraudulent tax credit claims being made by individuals from other EU member states and (b) the cost of such claims. [45331]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
All claims for tax credits are checked thoroughly and any allegations of fraud investigated fully. When we find fraud we act quickly to shut it down and we can and do prosecute.
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