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Non-fossil Purchasing Agency

Colin Challen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funds have flowed to the Consolidated Fund from the Non-fossil Purchasing Agency's surpluses; and what he estimates that income to be by 2010. [60573]

John Healey: The total amount paid to the Consolidated Fund from the Non-fossil Purchasing Agency's surpluses is £210 million. This was made up of a payment of £60 million in July 2004 and a payment of £150 million in September 2005.

The Treasury has not made an estimate of income up to 2010.
 
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Pensioners (Free Travel)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the (a) 2005 and (b) 2006 budget announcement of free bus travel for pensioners to passenger ferries. [61549]

Mr. Des Browne: The Treasury has made no estimate of the cost of extending free bus travel for pensioners to passenger ferries.

Pensions

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Braintree (Mr. Newmark) of 11 November 2005, Official Report, column 775W, on pensions, what the accrued liability as at 31 March 2005 would have been using a discount rate equal to the (a) yield on long-dated AA rated corporate bonds and (b) yield on long-dated index-linked Government stock on that date. [61416]

Mr. Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) 9 March 2006, Official Report, column 1645W.

Recycling

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make further changes to taxation to encourage the production of paper using recycled materials. [61244]

John Healey: The Chancellor considers all relevant economic, social and environmental factors when deciding taxation policy. Any changes are announced by the Chancellor in the context of his Budget Statement.

Suicides (Farmers)

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many farmers have committed suicide in England and Wales in each year since 2000. [60998]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 27 March 2006:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many farmers have committed suicide in England and Wales in each year since 2000. (60998)

I refer you to the answer given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the 10 November 2005, Official Report, column 645W.

Tax Credits

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government collects information on the number of hours worked by recipients of tax credits. [60604]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information on the number of hours worked by in-work families with tax credit awards as at December 2005 is available in Child and Working Tax
 
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Credits Statistics: December 2005". This publication can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/dec05_quarterly_dec05.xls

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of each social security and tax credit payment was as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year since 1997. [60613]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Figures for social security and tax credits spending are published each year in Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis.

Figures for gross domestic product are published on the HM Treasury website at: http://www.hm-treasury. gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/gdp_deflators/data_ gdp_fig.cfm

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the take-up rate of each category of tax credit was in each year since 1997. [60615]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information on take-up of child tax credit and working tax credit in 2003–04 is available in Child tax credit and working tax credit: Take-up rates—2003–04". This publication can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/takeup_rates_2003–04_mar06.pdf

Information on take-up of working families tax credit (the predecessor to child tax credit and working tax credit) for 2000–01 to 2002–03 is available in the Working families tax credit take-up rates" publications. These publications can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/wftc/takeup rates.htm

Value Added Tax

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the arrangements proposed to exempt from value added tax
 
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new buildings for (a) city academies with community use and (b) other youth and education facilities with community use. [61727]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: VAT is not chargeable on the construction of academies, or parts of academy buildings, provided that use of the building for which a charge is made will account for less than 10 per cent. of its total use under this relief. Taking the year as a whole (including non-term time) a 1,000 student institution could potentially provide charged extended services for an average of around 50 people per day.

VAT agreements with our European partners meanthat while we can maintain this relief for the construction of charitable buildings, it cannot be extended further. DfES and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will explore with academies how community use of their facilities might be maximised, consistent with this VAT relief.

If VAT is chargeable on construction of any part of an academy building, this can be reclaimed from HMRC to the extent that the building is to be used for a taxable business purpose. DfES and HMRC will also explore with academies how any remaining VAT costs might be managed within the current rules—for example by allowing academies to spread VAT costs relating to non-business use of their facilities over a 20-year period.

In relation to other youth and education facilities, the VAT relief detailed applies for buildings constructed for charities. Where VAT is chargeable on construction, this can be reclaimed from HMRC to the extent that it relates to taxable business use of the facilities. In addition, local authorities can usually reclaim from HMRC all VAT costs relating to schools and other youth and community facilities that they maintain.

Where VAT is chargeable and not reclaimable from HMRC, it is legitimate for bids for grants or public funding to include relevant overhead costs, such as this irrecoverable VAT.
 
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WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Scheme

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for public sector employers to make use of the Access to Work scheme; and if he will make a statement. [59852]

Mrs. McGuire: The Access to Work programme is open to people who meet the eligibility criteria irrespective of whether they work for private or public sector employers, or on their own account.

There has been a year on year increase in the numbers of disabled people who, through this programme, have been helped to either take up or retain paid work.

Asbestos Regulations

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what enforcement measures are in place to ensure that existing regulations on the use of asbestos are adhered to. [59004]

Mrs. McGuire: The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992 prohibit the importation, supply and use (namely the manufacture) of asbestos and asbestos-containing products into the United Kingdom. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) are the enforcing authority for these regulations and to their knowledge there is no manufacture of asbestos-containing products within the UK. HSE have the authority to grant exceptions to the prohibition of supply and importation. Such an exemption is granted only in exceptional circumstances with strict conditions applied by HSE.

However, asbestos-containing materials were widely used up to the implementation of these regulations. Although it is difficult to give a precise figure, it was estimated in 2000, that 500,000 commercial premises contain asbestos products. Asbestos products present no risk to a person unless its condition deteriorates and asbestos fibres are released. Therefore the principal duty on the person in control of these premises is Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 regulation 4, commonly known as the Duty to Manage. HSE Inspectors and Local Authority Environmental Health Officers enforce this legislation. The Duty to Manage is one of the strands of HSE's Disease Reduction Programme, which sets out a schedule of work to seek compliance with this legislation. There is a range of
 
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enforcement powers available to secure compliance, including the issue of enforcement notices and taking legal proceedings.

When work has to be carried out on the asbestos material, including its removal, then it is subject to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations. This requires that prior to the commencement of work that a suitable risk assessment is carried out to determine the appropriate control measures required to prevent, or reduce to the lowest level practicable, exposure to asbestos fibres. HSE Inspectors and Local Authority Environmental Health Officers have the same enforcement powers as for the Duty to Manage Asbestos.

For high-risk activities, work is also subject to Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983. These prohibit an employer or self-employed person from carrying out any significant work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coatings and asbestos insulating board unless HSE's Asbestos Licensing Unit has granted them a licence. The applicant is subject to a rigorous assessment prior to any licence being granted. HSE have the authority to apply any conditions on a licence, refuse, amend, or revoke a licence. A licence is granted for a fixed period and the applicant is subject to a further assessment on re-application. A condition on all licences is that work with asbestos is notified to the relevant enforcing authority. HSE carry out site visits for a sample of this notified work, and if acceptable standards are not met take suitable enforcement action, which includes letters, enforcement notices and prosecutions. In addition relevant information is fed-back to the Asbestos Licensing Unit, to enable the terms and conditions of an individual licence to be continually reviewed.

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