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12 Oct 2006 : Column 886W—continued
Tax Revenue
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the UK paid (a) stamp duty and (b) capital gains tax in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 1997-98 and (iii) 1979-80; and what each figure represents as a percentage of the population in each year. [91438]
Ed Balls: The available information is given in the following table. Figures for 1979-80 are not available.
| 1997-98 | 2005-06 | |
| (1) Number of transactions above stamp duty threshold (£60,000). No information available on reliefs. (2 )This figure is net of transactions above the stamp duty threshold (£120,000) where stamp duty was not payable due to the use of reliefs, eg disadvantaged area relief. | ||
The total number of people, and trusts, in the UK, who pay capital gains tax is published on the HM Revenue and Customs website in table 14.1 at the following address: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/capital_gains/menu.htm.
The numbers for the required years are given as follows. Figures for 2005-06 are not available so figures for the latest available year, 2004-05, have been given (populations used were mid-1979, mid-1997 and mid-2004 respectively).
| Number of taxpayers (thousand) | Percentage of population (mid-1979, mid-1997, mid-2004) | |
A direct comparison across these years is misleading as before the introduction of independent taxation in 1990-91 each taxpaying married couple counted as one individual. Since 1990-91 husbands and wives both with CGT liabilities have been counted separately.
UK Investment
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much UK investment was made abroad in each year since 2001; and how much foreign investment was made into the UK as a percentage of total investment in the UK in each such year. [92784]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 12 October 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how much UK investment was made abroad in each year since 2001; and how much foreign investment was made into the UK as a percentage of total investment in the UK in each such year. (92784)
| £ billion | ||||
| UK investment abroad | Foreign investment in the UK | Total investment in the UK | % foreign investment | |
The above table shows UK investment abroad and foreign investment in the UK. The data are consistent with the Sector and Financial Accounts published on 27 September 2006 and available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme economy/ukea2006q2.pdf
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) net investment income and (b) the share of net investment income in the current account balance was in each year between 2001 and 2005. [92785]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 12 October 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking for how much (a) net investment income and (b) the share of net investment income in the current account balance was in each year between 2001 and 2005. (92785)
| £ billion | ||
| Net investment income | Current account balance | |
The above table shows UK net investment income and the current account balance. Data are consistent with the Balance of Payments First Release published on 27 September 2006 and available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/bop0906.pdf
Valuation Office Agency
Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 18 July 2006, Official Report, column 367W, on the Valuation Office Agency, for what purpose the VOA purchased ACORN data; and how much was spent on the purchase. [90109]
Dawn Primarolo: VOA purchased the data concerned, at a cost of £48,650 excluding VAT, to inform judgments about the extent of geographic areas subject to the same or similar market forces.
Work and Pensions
Benefit Payments
Mr. Philip Hammond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the total amount of (a) social fund payments, (b) winter fuel payments, (c) attendance allowance, (d) disability
living allowance, (e) carer's allowance, (f) retirement pension, (g) bereavement benefits, (h) maternity allowance, (i) reduced earnings allowance, (j) retirement allowance, (k) income support, (l) jobseeker's allowance, (m) pension credit and (n) statutory sick pay erroneously paid to prisoners due to (i) fraud, (ii) customer error and (iii) official error in each year since 1997. [91860]
Mr. Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 13 September 2006, Official Report, column 2369W.
Change Management Director
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will appoint a director of change management for the Department. [91700]
Mrs. McGuire: Stephen Holt was appointed director of change management on 6 September 2006.
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to the letter of 29 August from the hon. Member for Walsall, North concerning his constituent, ref: P05(3) 10644/61. [92914]
James Purnell: I replied to my hon. Friend’s correspondence dated 7 June on 7 July (ref no 10644/61). I subsequently replied to a further piece of correspondence dated 29 August on 10 October (ref no 10644/63).
Disability Conciliation Service
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how much the disability conciliation service recovered for successful claimants in respect of cases it took up on their behalf in 2005-06; [89954]
(2) what the cost was of the Disability Conciliation Service in 2005-06. [89955]
Mrs. McGuire: The disability conciliation service, which was established by the Disability Rights Commission, seeks to resolve disputes arising under Parts 3 and 4 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. It is not possible to provide a value for the amount recovered for successful claimants, because compensation is provided in the form of goods and services as well as in monetary terms. The cost of the DCS in 2005-06 was £248,000.
Disability Living Allowance
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the records of children in receipt of disability living allowance are used to assess a claim for incapacity benefit when the child reaches the age of 18. [92046]
Mrs. McGuire: Incapacity benefit can be claimed by people aged 16 years or older. The records of children in receipt of disability living allowance are not routinely used to assess a claim for incapacity benefit when the child reaches the age of 16; the qualifying conditions for incapacity benefit and disability living allowance are different, requiring different criteria to be considered.
Financial Assistance Scheme
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when distribution of funds will be made from the financial assistance scheme to members of the eligible employee pension schemes. [92751]
James Purnell: The first payments were made in December 2005. Payments are made from age 65 to all eligible members of those pension schemes which have requested payment and provided us with the required data.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on setting up the financial assistance scheme. [93184]
James Purnell: Our latest estimates are that over the first three years up to March 2007 we will spend around £4.5 million on the costs of setting up the scheme (and around £5.9 million on administration). The one off set up costs cover opening the operational unit and building the necessary IT systems.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether there is a central computer system with all the data completed for people qualifying for the financial assistance scheme. [93250]
James Purnell: Yes, there is a computer system in the FAS operational unit that holds details of eligible scheme members being paid and due to be paid in the future.
Illegal Immigrants (Benefits)
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the total amount of benefits paid erroneously to illegal immigrants in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [91858]
Mr. Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 13 September 2006, Official Report, column 2367W.
Medical Assessment Reports
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many medical assessment reports were assessed as substandard in relation to the administration of (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance in the last period for which figures are available. [87247]
Mrs. McGuire:
Between September 2005 and June 2006, there were a total of 88 medical reports for disability living allowance and attendance allowance
that were categorised as C grade. During the same period, there were 1434 medical reports that were categorised as A grade and 547 medical reports that were categorised as B grade for disability living allowance and attendance allowance. No further breakdown of the figures between the two benefits is available.
All medical reports are graded A, B with C grades failing the audit.
The grading of medical reports is an agreed medical audit procedure. Although C grades medical reports indicate that there is scope for improvement, it does not automatically follow that a C-grade report would not be found fit for purpose.
Pension Protection Fund
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the financial effect on private companies of the contributions required of them for the pension protection fund. [91612]
James Purnell: In December 2005, the PPF published an estimate of the total amount of levy that would need to be collected for the 2006-07 levy year. This estimate was £575 million. The proportion of that total amount payable by an individual scheme is calculated on a scheme specific basis, based on the risk of that scheme entering into the PPF while also ensuring the cost to individual schemes is both affordable and proportionate. The PPF consulted on their proposals for levy calculation in 2005 and they were well received by industry. The PPF also included in their proposals incentives for schemes to reduce the amount of levy payable such as by putting contingent asset arrangements in place.
The PPF has also put in place a cap to ensure no scheme pays more than the equivalent of 0.5 per cent. of its liabilities. For individual schemes, the cost of a levy at £575 million will be broadly comparable to the amount spent on administration costs or fund management charges.
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