| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
6 Feb 2006 : Column 894W—continued
Wheat Stores
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many days' supply of bread making wheat have been in store in England over the last four years. [46268]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 30 January 2006]: We do not have information specifically on supply levels of bread making wheat in store in England.
However data on the stock level for all milling wheat are collected under the Defra monthly survey of wheat milled in the UK. This includes wheat milled to produce bread, biscuits, other food ingredients and starch, where production of flour for bread making was typically around 60 per cent. of the total flour produced. Assuming typical utilisation and production levels, it is estimated that UK millers have held approximately 15–25 days supply and on average 20 days supply of all types of wheat for milling in the last four years. The wheat stocks include both UK and imported wheat grain.
Further significant stocks of UK produced and/or imported wheat which may be used for bread making will be held at other points in the supply chain such as on farm, by merchants, at ports or by co-ops. We do not have information on the volume or proportion of these wheat stocks that are of bread making quality.
WALES
Christmas Cards
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the cost to his Department of sending Christmas cards in 2005. [45921]
Nick Ainger: The Wales Office spent £760 on Christmas cards in 2005.
The postage charges of the Christmas cards were not separately identified from the rest of the Department's mail. This figure can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
Council Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 531W, on council tax, how many of the 1,765 appeals resulted in being moved (a) up and (b) down council tax bands. [46998]
Nick Ainger: Where, on re-assessment, no reduction in banding is found to be appropriate, the taxpayer is invited to withdraw their appeal.
It follows that the 1,765 appeals referred to by my right hon. Friend all resulted in movement to a lower band.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether (a) the Valuation Office Agency and (b) its contractors took photographs of any domestic properties for valuation purposes during the council tax revaluation in Wales. [47029]
Nick Ainger: The Valuation Office Agency did not use contractors during the council tax revaluation in Wales.
The Valuation Office Agency took external photographs of domestic properties, where required, for banding purposes and to assist the listing officers to arrive at fair and accurate valuations.
6 Feb 2006 : Column 895W
Departmental Assets
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the items of departmental property worth over £100 that have been reported as (a) lost and (b) broken in the last 12 months. [47672]
Early Retirement
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many departmental employees have taken early retirement due to ill-health in each of the past five years for which figures are available. [46771]
Jewish Festivals
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Office did to (a) celebrate Hanukkah and (b) mark Yom Kippur in 2005. [46768]
Nick Ainger: The Wales Office is a small Department, and did not host any specific events to mark Hannukah or Yom Kippur. However, Wales Office staff come under the umbrella of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and in line with their diversity policies, sympathetic consideration is given by managers to any requests for time off to mark religious festivals. Our staff are encouraged to participate in DCA's diversity networks, and we are currently represented on their Faith Forum. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently attended the Holocaust Memorial Day Commemorative Event, which was held in Cardiff.
Lyons Inquiry
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the written submissions from his Department to the Lyons Inquiry into local government. [47901]
Mr. Hain: The Lyons Inquiry is independent of the Government. Sir Michael Lyons will decide what to publish when he makes available his final report.
Probation and Prison Services
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what matters relating to (a) the Probation Service and (b) the Prison Service in Wales are devolved. [48979]
Mr. Hain: These services are not devolved. However the National Offender Management Service works closely with the Welsh Assembly Government in respect of any activity that touches on devolved matters. Furthermore, under the Children Act 2004 the Assembly will be able, with the consent of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, to issue guidance to local probation boards and youth offending teams on co-operating with other public bodies in their area with a view to improving the well-being of children.
Valuation Office Agency
Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what role the Valuation Office Agency is
6 Feb 2006 : Column 896W
playing in collating (a) value significant code and (b) dwellinghouse code data in Wales for council tax valuation purposes. [47884]
Mr. Hain: The Valuation Office Agency has collected and recorded data on dwellings in paper form for a considerable time, initially for domestic rating and now for council tax. This data is currently being digitised to increase the overall cost efficiency of the Agency's operations and deliver further improvements in customer service for the taxpayer in Wales.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans the Valuation Office Agency has to introduce (a) computer-assisted mass appraisal and (b) the automated valuation model in Wales for council tax valuation purposes. [47902]
Mr. Hain: The Valuation Office Agency is currently exploring the potential for the use of the automated valuation model to support work in connection with the maintenance of the current (2005) council tax lists in Wales. The objective would be to increase the overall cost efficiency of the Agency's operations and to deliver further improvements in customer service for the taxpayer in Wales. However, it would be for the Welsh Assembly Government to agree its implementation, scope and application.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate the Valuation Office Agency has made of the number of homes in Wales which will move up a further council tax band in April as the first stage of transitional relief is phased out, broken down by local authority. [47905]
Mr. Hain: The Valuation Office Agency has made no such estimate as calculation of council tax liability and the operation of the transitional relief scheme are not matters for them.
The transitional relief scheme announced by the Welsh Assembly Government remains in place and will ensure that no household will move up by more than one band in year one, two bands in year two, or three bands in year three of the scheme.
The total number of properties showing an increase of two or more bands as at 31 December 2005 is 60,073. The breakdown by Billing Authority is in the table as follows:
6 Feb 2006 : Column 897W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |