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16 Oct 2006 : Column 1082W—continued
UK Oil Refiners (Tax Revenue)
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax revenue was received from UK oil refiners in the last year for which figures are available. [94135]
John Healey: Corporation Tax liability data are published by industry group on the HMRC website. The latest figures are available at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/11_5_oct05.pdf
Data for UK oil refiners are included within the Energy, water supply group in Table T11.5. Specific data for oil refiners are not produced and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
VAT Receipts
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was received in VAT receipts in each financial year between 1997-98 and 2005-06; and what the estimated loss of revenue from VAT fraud was in each of those years. [93689]
Dawn Primarolo: The receipts for VAT can be found in the HM Revenue and Customs ‘Value Added Tax Bulletin’, which is available from a HM Revenue and Customs website address at:
http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullvat
Estimates for the level of losses due to VAT fraud are not available. However, estimates of the VAT gap, which includes losses due to fraud, are available in the series of papers, 'Measuring and Tackling Indirect Tax Losses', published in November 2002 and December of 2003-05. Copies of these papers can be obtained from the House Library.
Waste Oil/Biodiesel
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) waste oil and (b) biodiesel was (i) exported and (ii) imported in the most recent year for which figures are available. [93783]
John Healey: There were no consignments of waste oil exported from, or imported to the United Kingdom in 2005. It is not possible to identify consignments of biodiesel from the data held.
Water/Sewerage Charges
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to conclude his revision of support to people facing high water and sewerage charges; and if he will make a statement. [92978]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
The “Cross-Government Review of Water Affordability Report” was published in December 2004. It concluded that:
(i) that the Vulnerable Group’s Regulations should be extended to increase eligibility, with measures put in place to increase take-up;
(ii) a local scale pilot scheme should be set up to target water affordability assistance to lower income households;
(iii) and that companies, Government and Ofwat should investigate the likely distributional consequences of costs for water consumers and the case for suitable tariff changes.
Work is continuing on these recommendations.
The Vulnerable Groups Regulations are intended to offer targeted protection to customers with particularly low incomes, who have water meters and who use large amounts of water for essential purposes. This includes families with three or more children, and people with specified medical conditions who are on income-related benefits. Following a review and consultation, the criteria for eligibility were amended from 1 April 2005. The criteria now include a more inclusive list of qualifying medical conditions and families with three or more children in full time education under the age of
19. In July, DEFRA held a workshop, attended by water companies and other interested stakeholders, to promote good practice in administrating the tariff.
A pilot study is currently under way in the South West which is looking at the combined impacts of several measures on water affordability, including
benefit entitlement checks, meter installation and water efficiency measures. We expect the results of the pilot study in summer 2007.
DEFRA is also working with water companies and Ofwat to look at the distributional impact of tariffs on low income households. We expect the results of this work towards the end of 2006.
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