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7 Nov 2006 : Column 1047W—continued
Union of Democratic Mineworkers
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the (a) Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) and (b) UDM (Nottingham section) have been registered for VAT in each year since 1999. [100099]
Dawn Primarolo: Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 does not permit HM Revenue and Customs to disclose information relating to the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.
University Spin-off Companies
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of university spin-off companies that have been formed since he announced the removal of tax barriers to the formation of such companies on 2 December 2004. [99608]
Dawn Primarolo: No estimates have been made of the number of university spin-off or spinout companies formed since the changes made by the Finance Act 2005.
The Higher Education Funding Council for England conducts annual surveys of higher education-business
and community interaction. The reports on the surveys provide information on research activity in higher education institutions and these are produced on their website at www.hefce.ac.uk. In addition, the University and Companies Association (UNICO) also conducts and publishes annual surveys on university commercialisation activities. More details are available through the UNICO website at www.unico.org.uk.
VAT
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance was issued to those affected by the legislation in relation to trade unions on schedule 9 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 before May 2002. [99214]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 6 November 2006]: Guidance on the scope of the VAT exemption for subscriptions to trade unions can be found in HM Revenue and Customs Notice 701/5, “Clubs and Associations”, published in March 2002. It is available from HMRC’s National Advice Service on 0845 010 9000 or via their website at www.hmrc.gov.uk. Previously, guidance was similarly available in VAT Notice 701/33, “Trade unions, professional bodies and learned societies”, published in August 1997.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to charge VAT on MOTs. [99221]
Dawn Primarolo: All taxes are kept under review and any changes are announced as part of the normal Budget process.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to tackle VAT avoidance by retailers marketing entertainment products through Channel Island websites; and what discussions he has had with retailers on their use of such websites to avoid paying VAT. [100192]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government are keeping this issue under close review. We have asked the states of Jersey and Guernsey to take measures to curb the activities of companies who have set up in business in the Channel Islands to service the fulfilment industry. If we judge that these measures are not effective, we have made it clear the UK Government may have to take action to reform the provisions which enable low value goods from the Channel Islands to be imported VAT free. My officials and those of HM Revenue and Customs have met a range of retailers to receive representations on this issue.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has received of major retailers avoiding VAT by marketing (a) health food and (b) contact lenses via websites based in the Channel Islands. [100193]
Dawn Primarolo:
The largest volume of products imported free of VAT from the Channel Islands are CDs and DVDs as well as the traditional products of cut flowers and plants. There is a much smaller proportion of health food products and contact lenses. The majority of internet purchases are imported via
Royal Mail where there is no requirement to capture or retain details of individual consignments. There is consequently no reliable information about which firms are engaged in marketing these products.
VAT Fraud
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many civil VAT fraud cases were adopted for investigation in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98747]
(2) what the total value is of fines which were imposed for VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98773]
(3) what the average sentence was for those convicted of VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98774]
(4) what the value was of VAT involved in criminal VAT fraud cases (a) reported and (b) prosecuted in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98775]
(5) how many people were sentenced for VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98779]
(6) how many prosecutions were completed for VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98784]
(7) how many VAT fraud cases were reported for criminal prosecution in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98788]
(8) how many penalties were imposed following civil VAT fraud investigations in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98790]
(9) how many criminal VAT fraud cases resulted in a conviction in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98793]
(10) how many reported VAT missing trader intra-community fraud cases there were in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [98794]
Dawn Primarolo: Prior to the creation of HMRC, HM Customs and Excise published the information requested in relation to fraud cases reported for civil investigation and criminal prosecution, and subsequent convictions each year, in their Annual Report. Copies of the Annual Reports are available in the Library of the House. Since the creation of HMRC, these statistics have not been published. Where information is not published, it is not collated in the format requested.
The Government remain determined to tackle MTIC VAT fraud, and the criminals perpetrating it, and a comprehensive strategy involving both operational and legislative measures has been developed. HMRC has committed significant additional resources to strengthen its strategy for tackling MTIC fraud, and there are now over 1,400 staff engaged in that work.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1455-456W, which details the measures.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many missing trader intra-Community registrations were (a) identified and (b) cancelled in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98776]
(2) how many pre-registration visits were carried out as part of the missing trader strategy in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98780]
(3) how many VAT missing trader intra-community suspect registrations were refused in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [98782]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested in relation to VAT Registrations and pre-registration visits each year by HMRC is published in the Departmental Annual Report. Prior to the creation of HMRC the information was published in the Annual Report of HM Customs and Excise. Copies of the Annual Reports are available in the Library of the House.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the value was of VAT subject to injunctions relating to missing trader fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98777]
(2) what the value was of VAT missing trader intra-community fraud assets recovered in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98781]
(3) what the value was of VAT missing trader intra-community fraud assessments in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [98786]
(4) what the value was of VAT missing trader intra-community fraud repayments disallowed to exporters in carousel fraud supply chains in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [98787]
Dawn Primarolo: Prior to the creation of HMRC, HM Customs and Excise published information requested in relation to VAT missing trader intra-community fraud each year in their Annual Report. Copies of the Annual Reports are available in the Library of the House. Since the creation of HMRC, these statistics have not been published. Where information is not published, it is not collated in the format requested.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [98778]
Dawn Primarolo: Annual estimates of the level of MTIC fraud from 2000-01 to 2004-05 were published alongside PBR 2005 in “Measuring Indirect Tax Losses—2005”, which is available from the House of Commons Library or from the following website: www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2005/mitl2005.pdf.
The first estimates of attempted MTIC fraud were made for 1999-2000, and can be found in “Measuring and Tackling Indirect Tax Losses—2004”, which is also available from the House of Commons Library.
The estimate for 2005-06 will be published at PBR 2006.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average value was of the VAT defrauded in civil VAT fraud cases in each year since 1997; what the total value of the VAT defrauded was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [98789]
Dawn Primarolo: Prior to the creation of HMRC, HM Customs and Excise published the average value of VAT defrauded in civil VAT fraud cases each year in their annual report. Copies of the annual reports are available in the Library of the House. Since the creation of HMRC, these statistics have not been published. Where information is not published, it is not collated in the format requested.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been withheld in VAT repayments to companies in each year since 1997; how much in each year was withheld due to suspected missing trader intra-community VAT fraud; and if he will make a statement. [100026]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not hold the historic data necessary to answer this question and would incur disproportionate costs in producing such data.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 9 October 2006, Official Report, column 304W.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions there were in respect of missing trader intra-community VAT fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [100027]
Dawn Primarolo: Prior to the creation of HMRC, HM Customs and Excise published information requested in relation to VAT missing trader intra-community fraud each year in their annual report. Copies of the annual reports are available in the Library of the House. Since the creation of HMRC, these statistics have not been published. Where information is not published, it is not collated in the format requested.
Vehicle Excise Duty
Mr. Ian Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to make available the £5 refunds for drivers of vehicles with low capacity engines who purchased Vehicle Excise duty in April 2006. [100042]
John Healey: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) administers the collection of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
No specific refund provisions were made available following the changes that were made to Vehicle Excise Duty Rates in Budget 2006.
The VED rate for lower capacity engine cars registered before 1 March 2001 was frozen in Budget 2006. Therefore, these drivers would have paid the same VED rate before and after Budget 2006.
Vehicle Tax
Mr. Francois:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cars have been taxed since his
2006 Budget at (a) the zero rate of duty, (b) the £40 rate of duty and (c) the £100 rate of duty. [97965]
John Healey: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) administers the collection of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
In respect of the zero rate of duty (Band A graduated VED), I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford on 31 October, Official Report, columns 317-18W.
In respect of the £40 (Band B) and £100 (Band C) rates for petrol cars, it is not possible to extract the number of licence renewals since they were introduced on 23 March this year. The table shows the number of vehicles licensed in those bands, as at June 2006.
| Band | Graduated VED bands CO 2 emissions (g/km) | Number of licensed vehicles |
Westfield (Ministerial Meetings)
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings (a) he and (b) his departmental Ministers have had with representatives of Westfield in the last 24 months. [94678]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with and receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and representations.
Transport
Blue Badges
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to propose new regulations on the eligibility for blue disabled badges in respect of (a) individuals aged under the age of two years and (b) people disabled for less than three years; and if he will make a statement. [100164]
Gillian Merron: Following a review of the Blue Badge Scheme, The Department for Transport has accepted recommendations made by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Department’s statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people, that the Scheme should be extended to:
(a) children under two whose medical needs require the transport of bulky medical equipment; and
(b) those with temporary mobility impairments which severely affect their walking ability and are likely to do so for at least 12 months.
We intend to consult on draft regulations later this year.
CIA Aircraft
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the CIA Gulfstream jet registration N379P has used (a) UK airspace and (b) UK airports since 1 May 1997; what the purpose was of each flight; and if he will make a statement. [98856]
Gillian Merron: A flight plan must be filed with Eurocontrol for all flights operating into European controlled airspace that cross international borders. My right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South-West (Mr. Darling) and the Secretary of State agreed that Eurocontrol should release data earlier this year to Dick Marty, chair of the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee of the Council of Europe, in order to contribute to the inquiry into rendition undertaken by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
The UK asked for a copy of our relevant data which was then published on the Department’s website in April and June this year at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_foi/documents/divisionhomepage/611515.hcsp and http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_foi/documents/divisionhomepage/611817.hcsp respectively. The Eurocontrol data show that flight plans for aircraft registration N379P were filed for operations into the UK on approximately 80 occasions between 2001 and 2003.
The information we hold on these flights does not include details of passengers or purpose of flight, as this information is not routinely collected.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend the former Foreign Secretary’s written ministerial statement of 20 January 2006, Official Report, columns 37-38WS, and written answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, columns 784-85W.
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