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20 Nov 2006 : Column 15W—continued
Gift Aid
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much was reclaimed from the Inland Revenue through gift aid in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK in the most recent period for which figures are available; [101202]
(2) how much his Department estimated would be claimed from the Inland Revenue each year by charities through gift aid at the time of its inception. [101203]
Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) do not separately identify Gift Aid claims by countries of the UK.
Amounts of tax repaid to charities in the UK on donations under Gift Aid are published on the HMRC website at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/charities/menu.htm.
Provisional figures for 2005-06 show total repayments to charities under Gift Aid of £728 million.
Gift Aid was introduced in October 1990. It was estimated at the time that the cost of the relief for individual donations would be less than £3 million.
However, the Gift Aid scheme has changed radically since its inception in 1990 and the scheme's scope has broadened hugely. The most significant changes occurred in 2000 when a £250 minimum limit on Gift Aid donations was abolished (allowing tax relief on any donation, large or small, regular or one-off) and donations under Deeds of Covenant were brought within the regime.
Insurance Policies
Dr. Cable: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what measures are in place to ensure that insurance policies sold in a sealed pack off-the-shelf display terms, conditions and exclusions on the outside of the pack; [100727]
(2) whether he has received representations on the insurance policies provided in off-the-shelf packages on the high street. [100728]
Ed Balls: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is responsible for the regulation of the sales of insurance policies.
The FSA makes no distinction in its regulatory treatment of the sale of sealed pack, off-the-shelf, insurance policies and other forms of non-advised sales. Off-the-shelf insurance policies are typically bought in a high-street store, such as a supermarket, with the contract normally concluded by a subsequent telephone conversation or by completing an application form and returning it by post.
For all products that they regulate, the FSA applies the principle that firms should treat their customers fairly and provide them with clear information. Firms
are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that customers do not buy policies under which they are ineligible to claim benefits.
Firms are also required to give customers a policy summary, in addition to the full policy information, to provide key information in a clear and easily digestible form. The summary must set out the significant features and benefits of the insurance and significant or unusual exclusions, so that customers can check that the insurance is appropriate for their needs.
FSA rules also require that for non-investment insurance contracts firms offer retail customers a minimum cancellation period of 14 days for general insurance contracts and 30 days for pure protection contracts.
HM Treasury and the FSA have received a small number of representations on the subject of non-advised insurance sales.
Ministerial Meeting
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) matters were discussed and (b) decisions were taken at the meeting with his international business advisers on 17 November; and if he will make a statement. [100604]
John Healey: On 17 November the International Business Advisory Council discussed how business and Government can work together to make the case for globalisation and increase the benefits globalisation can bring, including to Britain.
Morbidity Rates
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the causes of death for (a) women and (b) men living in Hartlepool constituency were in each of the last 10 years. [100740]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 20 November 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what were the causes of death for (a) women and (b) men living in Hartlepool constituency in each year in the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (100740)
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what purpose the funds raised from National Insurance contributions are put; and if he will make a statement. [100502]
Dawn Primarolo: Funds raised from the payment of National Insurance Contributions are used to pay contributory benefits and to help to fund the NHS.
Pre-Budget Report
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will present his next pre-Budget report; and if he will make a statement. [101284]
John Healey: On 6 December, as the Chancellor announced in his written ministerial statement on 16 November 2006, Official Report, column 1WS.
Premium Bonds
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of time was that a premium bond had been held on winning a prize of £5,000 or more in each of the last 10 years. [100476]
Ed Balls: For those premium bonds where the purchase date is known, the average lengths of time that a Premium Bond had been held on winning a prize of £5,000 or more in each of the last 10 years is set out in the following table:
| Average age of Premium Bond on winning £5,000 or more (years) | |
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) longest, (b) shortest and (c) average length of time was that a premium bond had been held on winning a prize of £100,000 or more in each of the last 10 years. [100477]
Ed Balls: For those premium bonds where the purchase date is known, the longest, shortest and average period of time that a Premium Bond had been held on winning a prize of £100,000 or more in each of the last 10 years is set out in the following table:
| in years | in months | ||
| (a) longest | (c) average | (b) shortest | |
Random Inquiry Programme
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which month in 2007 his Department will publish information on the random enquiry programme for 2004-05. [101237]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 2 November 2006, Official Report, column 585W.
Small Breweries Relief
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from businesses on the market effects of the small breweries relief; and if he will make a statement. [100530]
John Healey: The Chancellor receives a large number of representations on a wide range of subjects. He takes all of these into account when taking decisions at Budget.
Tax Credits
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax credit verification checks are in operation. [101236]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 7 November 2006, Official Report, column 1042W.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the tax credit e-portal will be re-opened in 2006; and if he will make a statement. [101308]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 2 November 2006, Official Report, column 585W.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many payments were made for tax credit maladministration (a) as a result of decisions of HM Revenue and Customs, (b) after a ruling from the Parliamentary Ombudsman and (c) after a ruling from the adjudicator in each month from April 2003 to October 2006; what the total cost was of each category of payments; and if he will make a statement. [101309]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested would be available only at disproportionate cost.
Travel Insurance
Dr. Cable: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to expand the Financial Service's Authority's remit to regulate the sale of travel insurance. [100726]
Ed Balls: As announced on 4 August 2006, the Treasury is currently conducting a review into whether sales of travel insurance sold along with a holiday and related travel should be subject to regulation by the Financial Services Authority. A formal call for evidence will be published shortly. Following the review, a decision on the Government's preferred approach will be made in first quarter of 2007.
VAT Fraud
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people were sentenced for VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [100981]
(2) 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; [100982]
(3) how many VAT missing trader intra-community suspect registrations were refused in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [100983]
(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; [100984]
(5) how many reported VAT missing trader intra-community fraud cases there were in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [100985]
(6) what the value was of VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [100986]
(7) 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; [100987]
(8) 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; [100988]
(9) 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; [100989]
(10) 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; [100990]
(11) how many prosecutions were completed for VAT missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [100991]
(12) how many VAT fraud cases were reported for criminal prosecution in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [100992]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 7 November 2006, Official Report, columns 1045-51W.
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