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26 Jan 2006 : Column 2260W—continued
Identity Fraud
Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what training the Department has provided for (a) front desk and (b) administrative staff in relation to identity fraud. [41279]
Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs staff deal with a wide range of functions and their training varies depending on the operational need of the particular business unit and staff involved. Customer confidentiality and identification training is provided for customer-facing staff and in addition specialist training and guidance is provided in some business areas.
Inheritance Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much revenue was raised from inheritance tax in (a) each Government office region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996–97; [26940]
(2) how many estates paid inheritance tax in (a) each Government office region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996–97. [26941]
Dawn Primarolo: Regional annual figures for inheritance tax receipts and estates paying inheritance tax by Government office region are not available.
The totals for inheritance tax receipts are published in Table 1.2 Annual Receipts of Inland Revenue taxes. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/menu.htm.
The totals of estates paying inheritance tax are published in Table 1.4 Estimated number of taxpayers. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/menu.htm.
Iraq
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's most recent estimate is of the cost of the British presence in Iraq, broken down by (a) military and (b) reconstruction costs in each month since the start of the conflict. [37146]
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Mr. Des Browne: The Treasury does not estimate costs for Iraq in the manner requested.
The net additional costs of operations in Iraq, as recorded in the Ministry of Defence's annual reports and accounts total £3,068 million as follows:
| Financial year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 847 |
| 2003–04 | 1,311 |
| 2004–05 | 910 |
The costs of operations in Iraq in 2005–06 will depend on force levels and operational tempo.
At the Madrid Donors' conference in October 2003, the Government announced a total UK pledge of £544 million towards the reconstruction effort in Iraq. To date, the Department for International Development have committed £423 million and disbursed over £350 million.
London Congestion Charge Zone
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the change in (a) VAT, (b) corporation tax and (c) national insurance contributions receipts which would arise from the extension of the London congestion charge zone. [45630]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government do not hold the figures requested, which would be extremely complex to estimate. The London congestion charge is the responsibility of the Mayor of London, who has published an assessment of the potential impacts of the planned Western Extension.
Long-term Savings
Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to provide long-term security and reasonable return on long-term savings invested in the private sector. [45820]
Mr. Des Browne:
The Government have established a system of financial services regulation that works through the regulator, the Financial Services Authority, the Financial Ombudsman Service, and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme to provide statutory protection for consumers.
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These bodies are independent of Government, although subject to the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. They replaced a collection of multiple regulators, complaint adjudicators, and compensation schemes.
Under The Pension Act 2004, the Government have also established The Pension Regulator and the Pension Protection Fund to protect the interests of members of occupational pension schemes.
Returns on long-term savings invested in the private sector are for the market to determine and lie outside the Government's remit.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list private finance initiative projects which have been refinanced in each year since 1997; and what the value of each project was; [46033]
(2) how many private finance initiative projects were subject to refinancing in 2005; what the refinancing gain was in each case; and how much of this gain the relevant government body received through (a) a lump sum and (b) a reduction in the unitary charge. [46035]
John Healey: The table shows all recorded refinancings of PFI projects since 1997 and the value of each project.
There were five PFI projects, subject to refinancing in 2005. The following list shows the date the refinancing closed, the amount of the gain and the authority's share:
London borough of Tower Hamlets Groups Schools, 8 March 2005, no refinancing gain, no authority share.
Nottingham Tram, 10 November 2005, the outcome of the Authority's negotiations on gain share is yet to be confirmed.
Greater Manchester Police Authority, 22 December 2005, total refinancing gain £1.02 million, total authority share £0.607 million.
Additionally, the BBC White City project was not concluded under a PFI structural framework, but shares many similar characteristics.
BBC White City, 23 March 2005, total refinancing gain £90 million. Total authority gains £62.00 million.
The list shows the refinancing gain in each case and produces a total refinancing gain of £93.42 million of which £63.329 million was for the public sector.
Information regarding how much gain the relevant government body received through a lump sum, or reduction in unitary charge, is not collated centrally.
Notes:
1. This is a list of UK-wide local and central government completed refinancings notified to PUK
2. The code referred to is a voluntary code of conduct on the sharing of refinancing gains on PFI projects, introduced in 2002.
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