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Reproductive Health
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received about (a) death and (b) disability resulting from the contraceptive pill in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [81284]
Andy Burnham: In the last year, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which is the Government agency responsible for evaluating the safety, quality and efficacy of all licensed medicines, has received eight reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in association with the use of a contraceptive pill that were considered to be disabling or incapacitating by the reporter.
The reporting of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that the drug was responsible. It is possible that, in some cases, a new or underlying medical condition or concomitant medication may have been responsible. In two of these cases, (an)other medicine/medicines were also considered to be causally related to the reaction by the reporter. Furthermore, the coincidental occurrence of some adverse events in women taking hormonal contraceptives is inevitable given their widespread use.
Regarding the number of suspected reactions with a fatal outcome that have been reported, the MHRA is unable to release information when it relates to five or fewer cases of any suspected ADRs in order to prevent identification of the patients or the reporter. For this reason we are unable to disclose the exact number of reported cases.
Turnaround Teams
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid by (a) Yorkshire Wolds and Coast primary care trust and (b) other PCTs in turnaround to (i) Ernst and Young and(ii) other companies assisting with turnaround. [80714]
Andy Burnham: This information is being collected for the Health Select Committee and is not yet ready for release.
Vaccine Damage Payments
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vaccine damage payments were made in respect of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in each of the last five years; and what proportion this represents of (a) all vaccine damage payments and (b) all doses of measles, mumps and rubella. [82325]
Mrs. McGuire: I have been asked to reply.
The Vaccine Damage Payments Unit (VDPU) do not hold information about specific vaccinations linked to successful claims. Claimants are asked to specify on the claim form all the vaccinations that the disabled person has received, not just the vaccine that is claimed to have caused the disablement. As a number of vaccinations are often given in close proximity, often on the same day, it is not always possible to state categorically which has caused the adverse reaction. It is therefore not possible to state how many vaccine damage payments have been made in respect of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
(a) The VDPU do however record details of all the vaccinations noted on the claim form and out of24 successful awards in the last five years, there have been two where the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was among those listed on the claim form.
(b) If those two claims were awarded in respect of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine this would represent one per 4.3 million doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
Waiting Times
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for functional electrical stimulation treatment in (a) England and (b) Dorset in the last year for which figures are available. [84122]
Andy Burnham: The official figures on waiting times show the length of time that people currently on the list for treatment have been waiting. This data is collected at consultant-led speciality level, for example neurology and clinical neuro-physiology. It is not possible to split this data down to show waiting list data for specific operations and treatments such as functional electrical stimulation.
Treasury
Air Passenger Duty
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the case for (a) changes in the basis of air passenger duty from payment per passenger to payment per flight and (b) relating the level of such payments to the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants produced during the flight; and if he will make a statement. [82849]
John Healey: A discussion paper published jointly by Her Majesty’s Treasury and the Department for Transport in March 2003, entitled “Aviation and the Environment: Using Economic Instruments”, considered the role of economic instruments and the environmental costs of aviation. This was also considered in the Air Transport White Paper, “The Future of Air Transport”, published on 16 December 2003 and in chapter 5 of “Aviation and Global Warming”, published by the Department for Transport on 10 February 2004.
The Air Transport White Paper set out the conclusions of the Government's analysis, including our view that aviation should be brought within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme by 2008, as the most effective way of tackling the climate change impact. Along with other measures to tackle local environmental impacts, this will help to ensure that the air transport sector meets its environmental costs.
In the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2006 the Government stated that:
"the Government is aware that economic instruments, including APD, may provide a route through which improved environmental performance in the aviation sector can be incentivised and so will continue to explore options for developing further such measures."
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason transit flights are exempt from air passenger duty; and what estimate he has made of how much extra revenue would be raised per annum were such flights subject to this duty. [82850]
John Healey: Not all transit flights are exempt from air passenger duty and in order to qualify specific criteria must be met. These are set out in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs' Public Notice 550, which gives details of the specific requirements of the exemption criteria. This notice can be obtained from the Revenue and Customs website at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk
Exempting connecting flights ensures that passengers are not taxed twice for a journey when making a connecting flight within the UK, or that if they are entering the UK in transit to an end destination outside the UK they are not taxed merely for the short stopover in the UK that is necessary to catch a connecting flight.
HMRC do not collect data on the number of transit passengers that pass through UK airports, and therefore we have not made any analysis on the extra revenue that charging APD on these passengers would raise.
Arms Imports
Nick Harvey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2006, Official Report, column 5767W, on AK-47s, what UK custom entry clearance has been issued to UK based companies for the importation of pallets of small arms from Bosnia since June 2003. [83921]
Dawn Primarolo: Since June 2003 UK Customs have issued no entry clearances to UK companies in respect of items, which might be classed as “small arms” under Commodity Code 9302 or 9304.
Bank Notes
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expected period of use is of the (a) £5, (b) £10, (c) £20 and (d) £50 note. [83456]
Ed Balls: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the then Financial Secretary the hon. Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 84W.
Barker Review
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Barker Review of land use planning policy to report. [83003]
John Healey: The interim report of the Barker Review of Land Use Planning was published on 4 July 2006. The final report is due later in 2006.
Child Tax Credits
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of child tax credits on child poverty since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [83898]
Dawn Primarolo: Between 1998-99 and 2004-05, 700,000 children have been lifted out of relative poverty. Macroeconomic stability, active labour market policies such as the new deal, policies to make work pay such as the, working tax credit, and financial support for families, including the child tax credit, have all contributed to this success.
Since 2002-03, the last year before child tax credit and working tax credit were introduced, 200,000 children have been lifted out of relative poverty.
As a result of the Government’s reforms to the tax and benefit system since 1997, by October 2006, in real terms, families with children will be, on average, £1,500 a year better off, while those in the poorest fifth will be, on average, £3,400 per year better off.
Civil Service, Wales
Albert Owen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he plans to take to ensure that civil service job cuts in Wales do not adversely affect economic regeneration of Objective 1 areas. [83934]
Mr. Timms: The Government are committed to strengthening the Welsh economy and regenerating Objective 1 areas.
Following Sir Michael Lyons Independent Review of Public Sector Relocation the Government undertook to relocate 20,000 posts out of London and the South East by 2010. By April 2006 7,800 posts had moved to every country and region in the UK, including more than 1,600 to Wales.
Since 1997 employment in Wales has increased by more than 10 per cent., with an additional 123,000 jobs created.
In order to target resources into improving key front-line services, the Government are committed to reducing the number of civil servants engaged in non-frontline functions by 70,600 (net) by 2008. Departments are responsible for implementing their work force targets and HM Treasury does not hold data showing the location of each affected site.
Regeneration spending, including the Objective 1 programme, is a devolved matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.
Correspondence
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2006, Official Report, column 410W, on correspondence, what estimate he has made of the cost of answering the question; and if he will make a statement. [82678]
John Healey: It is not possible to identify separately the average cost of officials’ time in replying to letters from hon. Members and members of the public. Such correspondence is often of a varied and complex nature. Therefore any exercise to determine the average cost in officials’ time in responding to letters would incur disproportionate cost.
It is not possible to identify separately stationery and postage costs for the department when replying to correspondence from hon. Members and members of the public.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 18 May regarding a constituent; and what the reason is for the delay in replying. [83400]
Dawn Primarolo: I understand that HMRC wrote to the hon. Member on 6 July and that they will be writing again very shortly.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Tax Credit Office will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of23 May; ref: 2006-05 008197. [83401]
Dawn Primarolo: The Tax Credit Office replied to the hon. Member on 6 July.
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 2 May 2006 from the hon. Member for Castle Point enclosing one from Mr. Layzell of 27 April 2006. [84144]
Dawn Primarolo: I have done so.
Double Taxation Agreements
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests from overseas tax authorities HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has received in the past three years pursuant to the operation of actual assistance provisions of UK double taxation agreements; from which countries these requests have been received; what amount of tax was claimed in each case; and what checks HMRC applied in pursuance of provisions corresponding to (a) Article 27 para 2 and (b) other articles of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Mutual Convention to satisfy itself that the tax they were asked to collect was properly due and payable. [83221]
Dawn Primarolo: At present the UK has no provisions in any of its Double Taxation Agreements that correspond to Article 27 of the OECD Model Convention nor has it ratified the Council of Europe/OECD Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.
Draft Bills
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what draft Bills have been produced by his Department since October 2005; how many were (a) examined and (b) are planned to be examined by (i) a departmental Select Committee and (ii) a Joint Committee; what draft Bills are still to be produced by his Department; when each is to be published; how many clauses each has; and if he will make a statement; [81250]
(2) what his practice is regarding meeting, discussing and taking into account the views and opinions of (a) private individuals and (b) representatives of organisations when drawing up and framing legislation to be introduced by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [81251]
John Healey: The Treasury has not introduced any Bills in draft in the period covered by the hon. Member’s question. Announcements on future legislation and future draft legislation that will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny will be indicated in the Queen’s Speech.
The Treasury seeks a full range of views when drawing up and framing legislation. Consultation is a key part of the policy making process, both formal and informal. The Treasury holds regular meetings with representatives of the principal stakeholder groups for our policy areas and with relevant experts. Organisations and individuals can also contribute to the Treasury’s formal consultations that abide by the Code of Conduct on Consultation. As required by the code, the Department then gives feedback on the responses received and on how the consultation process influenced the policy decision.
Economically Inactive Persons
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the ratio is of economically inactive persons to the number of persons engaged in manufacturing industry in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland. [83803]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 10 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the ratio of economically inactive persons to the number of persons employed in manufacturing in (a) England (b) Wales and (c) Scotland. I am replying in her absence. (83803)
The attached table gives the ratio of persons economically inactive to people employed in manufacturing for the 3 countries of Great Britain for the period three month ending March 2006.
Estimates are taken from the Office for National Statistics’ Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
| Economically inactive people and people employed in the manufacturing( 1 ) industry by country of residence for people of working age( 2) not seasonally adjusted | |||
| Three months ending March 2006 | |||
| Economically inactive (Thousand) | Employed in manufacturing industry (Thousand) | Ratio( 3) | |
| (1)
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC92) code D. (2) Men aged 16-64 or women 16-59. (3) Economically active people divided by the number of those in employment in manufacturing industry. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey | |||
Education Capital Projects
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which education capital projects are VAT exempt; [84183]
(2) what criteria are used to decide what type of education capital projects are VAT exempt; [84184]
(3) what representations he has received from the further education sector about the VAT status of further education capital projects; [84185]
(4) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of VAT on further education capital projects; [84269]
(5) if he will take steps to ensure that further education and schools capital projects receive the same treatment. [84270]
Dawn Primarolo: VAT is chargeable on the construction of all buildings in the education sector, except those that will be used at least 90 per cent. for a relevant charitable purpose, such as the provision of free of charge education by a charity. In such cases, construction of the building is VAT zero-rated. VAT agreements with our European partners mean that while we can maintain this relief for the construction of charitable buildings, it cannot be extended further.
However, where VAT is chargeable on capital projects, 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 the educational institutions that they maintain.
Refund arrangements for local authorities reflect a commitment, made when VAT was first introduced, that VAT would not fall as a burden on local taxation. Accordingly, since 1997, bodies have only been admitted to these refund arrangements where they undertake a function ordinarily carried on by local government and have the power to draw their funding directly from local taxation. Unlike local authority maintained institutions, Further Education Colleges do not meet the second of these conditions.
It is reasonable to expect that bids for public funding by Further Education Colleges should take into account that they are not eligible for the VAT refund arrangements that apply for local authority maintained institutions. However, no detailed assessment has been made of the impact of VAT on further education capital projects.
Representations are regularly made to Treasury Ministers by MPs and stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including VAT and extended use of educational facilities.
Engagements
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many military establishments he has visited in each of the last five years. [65762]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth) on 13 January 2005, Official Report, column 595W.
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