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24 Jan 2007 : Column 1854W—continued

Clostridium Difficile

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths there were where clostridium difficile was mentioned on the death certificate in each of the last five years, broken down by hospital trust. [111002]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 January 2007:

Defence Expenditure

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Defence and (b) Prime Minister on additional allocations of funds for defence. [117139]

John Healey: In the course of his official duties the Chancellor of the Exchequer meets regularly with other Ministers and officials. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s policy to disclose specific details of these meetings.


24 Jan 2007 : Column 1855W

EU Budget

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the (a) net and (b) gross contributions which each member state of the EU will make to the EU during the next budget cycle (i) in total and (ii) per head of population. [117244]

Ed Balls: The Government’s latest forecast of the United Kingdom’s net contribution to the EC Budget in 2006-07 and 2007-08 can be found in footnote 3 to Table B16 (page 240) of the pre-Budget report of December 2006. The equivalent gross contribution forecast, after taking account of the United Kingdom abatement, in these two financial years is £7.9 billion and £9.8 billion respectively. Based on Eurostat population figures for the United Kingdom in 2005 (60,034.5 thousand) the net and gross contribution, post abatement, per head in each of these two financial years would be £47 net, £132 gross (2006-07) and £75 net, £163 gross (2007-08). HM Treasury does not, as a matter of course, forecast the gross and net contributions of all the other member states as this is a matter for their respective Governments. Figures for the 2007 gross contribution of each member state will be included in the 2007 EC adopted budget which will be published in the European Commission’s Official Journal, L (Legislation) series, in due course.

Irrecoverable VAT

Martin Horwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his estimate is of the annual cost to the voluntary sector of irrecoverable VAT; and if he will make a statement; [110504]

(2) what estimate he has made of the value of Gift Aid to the voluntary sector in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [110506]

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not collect data on the voluntary sector’s irrecoverable VAT costs.

The voluntary sector’s irrecoverable VAT costs have been considered by the Government in two major reviews since 1997. In the course of these reviews it was not possible to find a VAT solution that was practical, efficient, affordable, well-targeted and based on principle. Available resources are better and more effectively deployed through the existing tax reliefs and targeted initiatives and support.

HMRC does not hold information about the amount of Gift Aid reclaimed by the voluntary sector; however the amounts donated by individuals and tax reclaimed by charities under Gift Aid for the years 2003-04 to 2005-06 are published on the HMRC website at:

Gift Aid forms part of over £2.7 billion of tax relief for charities and charitable giving that we provide each year, which also includes £200 million in reliefs from VAT. These tax reliefs are in addition to broader Government funding for the voluntary and community sector, which stands at over £3.3 billion per year.


24 Jan 2007 : Column 1856W

Mosaic Data

Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether HM Revenue and Customs use mosaic data. [110837]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 17 May 2006, Official Report, column 1079W, to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles).

National Minimum Wage

Mary Creagh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) workers were assisted by the national minimum wage helpline in recouping money underpaid by their employer and (b) employers (i) were investigated, (ii) had enforcement orders issued to them and (iii) (A) were and (B) are subject to criminal proceedings for non-payment of the national minimum wage in the Wakefield constituency in the last period for which figures are available. [117308]

Dawn Primarolo: National minimum wage statistical data are not held by reference to constituency.

Office for National Statistics

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2007 (113799), Official Report, column 838-9W, on the Office for National Statistics, what the status is of each of the Freedom of Information applications made to the Office for National Statistics in 2006. [110532]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 January 2007:

Savings Gateway Scheme

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what agreement was reached between his Department and Halifax Bank of Scotland when setting up the Savings Gateway Scheme on the distribution to users of the scheme of mass mailed offers of credit. [117249]


24 Jan 2007 : Column 1857W

Ed Balls: Halifax has not mass mailed offers of credit to Saving Gateway customers. The contract between Halifax, DfES, HMRC and HMT states that members of the HBOS group will only market their own products at the specific request of the customer, unless the customer is an existing HBOS customer, in which case existing marketing arrangements will remain.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the size of the bonus paid into accounts through the Savings Gateway Scheme varies according to area. [117250]

Ed Balls: The Saving Gateway is an account targeted at low-income households, delivering a strong incentive to save regularly through the Government matching money saved in the account. The first Saving Gateway pilot used a match rate of £1 for £1; however the second Saving Gateway pilot is testing the effects of alternative match rates of £1 for £1, £2 and £5 and contribution limits, initial endowments and the support of a range of financial education bodies.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place between his Department and Halifax Bank of Scotland on the type of account that money is transferred to on completion of the Savings Gateway Scheme. [117251]

Ed Balls: On completion of the Saving Gateway, the participant’s money is transferred into a Halifax Liquid Gold account. This was proposed by HBOS in discussion with Treasury officials as it was an existing Saving account and the IT could be adapted quickly to accommodate the Saving Gateway pilot.

Self-assessment

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people are employed to process self-assessment tax returns; and at what cost in each of the last three years; [117145]

(2) what estimate he has made of how much additional tax was (a) collected and (b) rebated in 2006 as a result of the self-assessment process. [117146]

Dawn Primarolo: The numbers of staff deployed on processing self assessment tax returns, and the related salary costs, for the last three years are shown in the table as follows.

Staff( 1) Cost( 2) (£)

2005-06

1,858.36

43,992,454.81

2004-05

1,891.00

36,571,852.81

2003-04

2,005.91

37,088,722.85

(1 )Staff numbers are expressed as full time equivalents
(2 )Cost is based on average salaries

The total amount of income tax, class 4 national insurance contributions and capital gains tax collected under Income Tax Self Assessment in the year 2005-06 was £27.998 billion and £4.533 billion was repaid.


24 Jan 2007 : Column 1858W

Stamp Duty

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of first-time house buyers were exempted from stamp duty land tax in each year since 1997, broken down by region. [116823]

Ed Balls: HMRC administrative systems do not identify whether a stamp duty land taxpayer is a first time buyer and nor do they distinguish house purchases from other residential transactions. It is not therefore possible to derive regional percentages. However, it is estimated that over half of all first time home buyers are exempt from stamp duty, taking into account the £125,000 starting threshold and the enhanced £150,000 threshold which is available in 2,000 disadvantaged wards.

Tax Credits

Mr. Devine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people in Livingston constituency (a) are in receipt of working tax credit and (b) received working tax credit in the first year the scheme was introduced; [117503]

(2) how many people in Livingston constituency (a) are in receipt of child tax credit and (b) received child tax credit in the first year the scheme was introduced. [117504]

Dawn Primarolo: Estimated numbers of families benefiting from tax credits are available only for in-work families. The average number in 2004-05 of such families with positive awards in each constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes, is published in “Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards 2004-05 Geographical Analysis”. This publication is available on the HMRC website at:

Information for 2005-06 awards is due to be published in May 2007.

Information for 2003-04 is not available for the Livingston constituency in its current boundaries.

Unemployment Statistics

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many, and what percentage of, young people in Chorley were unemployed in each year since 1997. [117190]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 January 2007:

Table 1: Unemployed persons, aged 16 to 24, resident in the Chorley constituency
Thousand
12 months ending Level Rate( 1) (Percentage)

February 1999

1

12.1

February 2000

1

13.7

March 2005

1

11.4

(1) Unemployed as a percentage of the economically active population.
Notes:
Estimates are subject to random variability.
Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.
Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population survey.

Table 2: Annual average number of claimants of jobseeker’s allowance aged 18 to 24, resident in the Chorley constituency
Number

1997

465

1998

380

1999

360

2000

310

2001

290

2002

265

2003

275

2004

235

2005

275

2006

325

Source:
Jobcentre Plus administrative data

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