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18 Sep 2006 : Column 2518W—continued
Oil and Gas Reserves
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the latest estimate is for total UK Continental Shelf oil and gas reserves; and what estimate he has made of the value of these reserves at (a) Budget forecast and (b) current world prices. [90565]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 11 September 2006]: The Department of Trade and Industry publishes estimates of remaining UK Continental Shelf oil and gas reserves on its oil and gas website at http://www.og.dti.gov.uk/information/bb_updates/chapters/reserves_index.htm. The latest published estimate, of total proven plus probable plus possible reserves as at 1 January 2005, was 17.1 billion barrels of oil equivalent. The Department does not produce estimates of the value of these reserves.
Post Office
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government expect to conclude their review of the future of the Post Office; and if he will make a statement. [91278]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We are at present carefully considering options for the network beyond 2008, though we are not working to a fixed timetable.
Private Limited Companies
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many private limited companies there are in the UK with over 1,000 shareholders. [90645]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 11 September 2006]: Companies provide information on their shareholders to Companies House. However, information on the number of shareholders which they have is not held in a form which would allow for an answer to this question to be provided except at disproportionate cost.
UK Accounting Firms
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to review the governance regime for the four largest UK accounting firms. [91188]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government published their review of the regulatory regime for the accounting profession in January 2003 alongside the report of the Co-ordinating Group on Audit and Accounting Issues. As a result of this review a new system of independent regulation was established under the Financial Reporting Council. Under these reforms, the Professional Oversight Board, a part of the Financial Reporting Council, has responsibility for the oversight of the regulation of the accountancy and audit professions as well as for monitoring the quality of audits of public interest entities, including those by the four largest UK accounting firms.
The new eighth Company Law Directive (2006/43/EC) on statutory audits was adopted on 17 May 2006. The DTI will be consulting in due course on the implementation of the directive.
The Companies Bill currently before Parliament includes a range of new measures relating to statutory auditors and audits.
Treasury
Arms Imports
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) assault rifles and (b) other long-barrelled weapons sharing the same section 5 classifications originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina and entering the UK through the port of Immingham were declared to UK customs in (i) July 2005 and (ii) August 2005. [91113]
Dawn Primarolo: Due to taxpayer confidentiality HM Revenue and Customs cannot provide information about any specific imports.
Capital Gains Tax
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the cost to the Treasury of extending capital gains tax rollover relief to residential landlords; [91268]
(2) what assessment he has made of the merits of extending capital gains tax rollover relief to residential landlords; [91269]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of capital gains tax rollover relief being available for holiday lets but not residential landlords in areas where there is high demand for holiday accommodation as well as residential letting; [91270]
(4) what estimate he has made of the cost of extending capital gains tax rollover relief to residential landlords as well as to those owning holiday lets. [91276]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government keep all aspects of the tax system under review.
There have been no estimates produced of the cost of extending capital gains tax rollover relief to residential landlords, or the impact of capital gains tax rollover relief being available for holiday lets but not residential landlords. Estimates could be produced only at a disproportionate cost.
Carbon Emissions Tax
Mr. Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will veto the European Parliament proposal for an EU-wide tax on cars according to their carbon emissions. [91178]
John Healey: The Government will not agree to the proposal on passenger car related taxes, as amended by the European Parliament.
Cash Machines
Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fee-charging cash machines were installed in Wirral in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [91140]
John Healey: According to data from LINK, an additional 21 fee-charging cash machines were installed in the Wirral over the 12 months to August 2006. However, an additional 26 free cash machines were also installed in the Wirral during the same period.
Tax Credits
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people from the new EU accession countries (a) have claimed and (b) are claiming tax credits at the latest available date. [91131]
John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 September 2006 to question 90547 from the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois).
Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the value of fraudulent tax credits paid in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [91209]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 11 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1281-82, and to the HMRC publications “Child and Working Tax Credits: Error and fraud statistics 2003-04” and “Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits” available on the HMRC website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/menus/techmenu.htm
Transport
Aircraft Hand Luggage
Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department is making to the Civil Aviation Authority on the application to the instruments of professional musicians of the recent security restrictions on aircraft hand luggage. [91138]
Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport regulates aviation security in the UK. My officials have met representatives of professional musicians with the aim of working together to identify a way forward on this specific matter.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why musicians are not permitted to take their instruments on to aeroplanes. [91257]
Gillian Merron: My officials have met representatives of professional musicians to discuss their concerns and will be presenting new proposals to representatives of the aviation industry later this week aimed at lessening the burden on both passengers and operators.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the normal hand luggage rules for aeroplanes to be restored. [91258]
Gillian Merron: We continue to discuss with the aviation industry at all levels the operational implications of the current security measures and are working to identify as quickly as possible any practical steps that can be taken to lessen the operational burden while not compromising security. We will be presenting new proposals to industry representatives this week with the aim of lessening the burden on both passengers and operators.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the effect of the ban on normal size hand luggage from aeroplanes. [91259]
Gillian Merron: All measures are under constant review and we are gathering data on the current measures through our ongoing compliance activity. This is informing our urgent consideration of how the present arrangements might be adjusted.
Channel Tunnel (Freight Trains)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs that would be lost in freight yards at Crewe and Dollands Moor if subsidies for freight operating companies using the Channel Tunnel are withdrawn; what the cost for freight trains using the Channel Tunnel (a) is until 30 November and (b) will be after 30 November; and if he will make a statement on the plan to withdraw their subsidies. [91229]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Department has made no estimate of the number of jobs that would be lost at Crewe and Dollands Moor rail freight yards if subsidies for freight operating companies using the Channel Tunnel are withdrawn.
Under agreements signed between 1994 and 1996 and extended in June 2005 until 30 November 2006, the British Railways Board is responsible for paying Eurotunnel approximately £26 million per year on behalf of the rail freight company English Welsh and Scottish Railway International (EWSI) for guaranteed Minimum Usage Charges in respect of rail freight flows through the Channel Tunnel.
If EWSI continues to run freight trains through the Channel Tunnel under the terms of the existing usage contract after the funding agreement expires on
30 November 2006 it will be obliged to pay Eurotunnel usage tolls and operating expenses for the trains it operates. The charges for this will vary according to the number and type of services run each year.
Cycling
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to make it compulsory for children to wear safety helmets when riding bicycles. [91214]
Dr. Ladyman: We believe that it is sensible for cyclists, and especially children, to protect themselves by wearing a cycle helmet and it is our policy to encourage helmet wearing on a voluntary basis.
At current helmet wearing rates, making them compulsory would cause enforcement difficulties and, without greater public acceptance, could have an adverse effect on the levels of cycling. However, compulsion remains an option that we keep under review.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) adult and (b) child cyclists were (i) injured and (ii) killed in each of the last 10 years. [91217]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of adult and child cyclists, injured and killed, in the years up to 2004 are published in table 8.2 of Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2005. Cyclist casualties for 2005 are published in table 2 of Road Casualties Great Britain: Main results 2005.
Copies of these publications are in the Libraries of the House.
Disused Railways
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what feasibility studies he has carried out to investigate whether any stretch of disused railway could be utilised as a highway to reduce congestion; and if he will make a statement; [91161]
(2) how many miles of disused railway track bed are undeveloped and available for sale or for an alternative use; [91162]
(3) what trials (a) have taken place and (b) are scheduled to take place on the feasibility of allowing cars to use disused rail lines; where such trials are taking place; and when he expects an evaluation to be carried out. [91163]
Mr. Tom Harris: We estimate that there are fewer than 100 miles of redundant trackbed that has not been either retained for possible future use or sold. Much of what remains comprises small parcels of land unsuitable for conversion into roads. The Department has not therefore carried out any recent studies into the possibility of using any of this land in this way.
Rail Services
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold an inquiry into (a) incidents in (i) late August and (ii) early September involving lengthy delays for passengers using rail services between London Liverpool Street and Colchester and (b) the condition and maintenance of the railway track between London Liverpool Street and Colchester; and if he will make a statement. [91210]
Mr. Tom Harris: One, the Train Operator concerned, and Network Rail have advised that investigations so far indicate the delays were caused by failures of the overhead power lines. They have taken a number of immediate steps to ensure the failures do not recur. Meanwhile they are continuing their investigations with a view to identifying any further measures necessary to achieve a permanent solution.
Road Schemes
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet (a) the Transport Chair of the East Midlands Regional Assembly, (b) the hon. Member for Kettering and (c) a small delegation of other interested parties from Northamptonshire to discuss the prioritisation of major road schemes and the working of the Regional Funding Allocation Mechanism. [91108]
Dr. Ladyman: The hon. Member should contact my office and a meeting will be arranged.
Rural Speed Limits
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce maximum speeds on rural roads. [91205]
Dr. Ladyman: There are no plans to reduce the national maximum speed limit on rural roads. However the Department published new guidance on setting local speed limits on 8 August 2006. This asks local traffic authorities to review speed limits on their A and B roads, and implement any necessary changes by 2011.
Lower speed limits are encouraged where the safety evidence or characteristics of the road warrant them. But equally local traffic authorities should consider increasing limits if it is warranted and can be done safely.
Taxi/Private Vehicle Licensing
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the guidance will be published in response to the taxi and private vehicle licensing consultation which closed in October 2005. [91106]
Gillian Merron:
Best practice guidance will be issued to taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in
due course, following completion of consideration of the results of last year’s consultation.
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