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5 Feb 2007 : Column 740W—continued


Income Tax: Stroud

Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people from Stroud constituency filed income tax returns for annual income (a) between £500,000 and £999,999 and (b) greater than £1 million in each of the last three years. [118242]

Dawn Primarolo: The available estimates of the distribution of income tax liabilities at regional level can be found in table 3.11, “Income and tax, by gender, region and country” on the HM Revenue and Customs’ website at

More detailed breakdowns are not available due to small sample sizes at constituency level.

India

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the economic relationship between the UK and India. [119137]

John Healey: The economic relationship between the UK and India is stronger than ever, building on the close cultural and family ties between our two nations:

With the Indian economy growing at more than 8 per cent., the links with the UK are proving to be an increasing source of prosperity for both our countries.

Inflation

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what weighting for electrical goods is used by the Office for National Statistics when it calculates (a) the Consumer Prices Index and (b) the Retail Prices Index. [118918]


5 Feb 2007 : Column 741W

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5( th) February 2007.

Percentage
Category Weight in RPI Weight in CPI Indicators

Electrical appliances

0.80

1.09

Cooker—electric, Washing machine, Fridge/freezer, Microwave oven, Dishwasher, Vacuum cleaner, Cordless telephone handsets, Mobile phone handsets, Electric shower, Selected small appliances—eg iron, kettle, fan heater, Personal appliances—eg hair dryer, electric razor

Audio-visual equipment

0.90

1.10

Colour televisions—including widescreen, portable and flat panel sets, Video recorder, Portable CD/radio cassette player, Personal MP3 player, Audio systems, DVD player, Car CD/radio, PCs—desktop and laptop, PC peripherals

Other

0.69

1.10

Power points, Power tools—eg hammer drill, Table lamp, Light bulbs, Car batteries, Computer game consoles, Digital camera, Digital camcorders, Other cameras—including disposable, Lawnmowers

Total

2.39

3.28


Inheritance Tax: Stroud

Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people from Stroud constituency filed inheritance tax returns for amounts (a) between £500,000 and £999,999 and (b) greater than £1 million in each of the last three years. [118241]

Dawn Primarolo: Figures for estates assessed for inheritance tax are not available at local levels.

Minimum Wage

Mary Creagh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how statistical data on the (a) receipt and (b) enforcement of the national minimum wage is (i) collected and (ii) held. [117720]

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the number of people in low-paid jobs, and specifically those paid less than the national minimum wage, are published by the Office for National Statistics annually in October.

From 2004, the estimates have been based on the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). This survey replaced the New Earnings Survey (NES) and has been designed to provide better information about the low end of the pay distribution. The ASHE includes imputation of missing earnings and hours information in individual questionnaires, and weighting by categories defined by age band, gender, occupation and region. It also introduces additional samples likely to include a higher proportion of low paid employees. These samples are drawn from employees who moved jobs or entered the labour market between February and April, who would not have been identified for the New Earnings Survey because of the timing of the survey procedures.

The ONS publishes tables on the National Statistics website showing the number of UK jobs from 1998 onwards paid below the minimum wage for those aged 18 to 21 and those aged 22 and over, by age, gender, full-time or part-time work, industry sector, Government office region and occupation. From 2005, estimates of the number of 16 to 17-year-olds paid below the national minimum wage have also been published.

The statistical data on enforcement of the minimum wage are collected centrally through information received during inquiries into employers at risk of not paying the national minimum wage. The statistical data are held by reference to the team that is conducting the inquiry or by DTI region.

Tax Credits

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he expects HM Revenue and Customs to publish the tax credit overpayment figures for the 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. [118708]

Dawn Primarolo: The National Statistics release “Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Finalised Awards 2005-06. Supplement on Payments in 2005-06”, which includes information on overpayment of tax credits in 2005-06, will be available in May 2007, as stated in the HMRC Updating Plan, which is available on the HMRC website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/updates/index.htm.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the recovery of overpaid tax credits on levels of personal debt amongst people in the bottom three deciles of income distribution; and if he will make a statement. [118732]

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.


5 Feb 2007 : Column 743W

HMRC’s policy on recovery of tax credits overpayments is set out in their Code of Practice 26, “What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?”

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people claimed child tax credits in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997; [118226]

(2) how many people claimed working tax credits in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. [118228]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone) on 7 December 2006, Official Report, column 1748W.

Taxation: Pensioners

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the income tax threshold for a (a) single and (b) married couple pensioner household (i) was in 1997 and (ii) is in 2006-07. [118250]

Dawn Primarolo: The answer is provided in the following table. Tax thresholds are the point at which income exceeds personal allowances. Individual spouses and civil partners are taxed separately and not as a household. The additional tax relief that is available for older pensioner married or civil partner couples reduces the tax liability of the spouse or civil partner who claims it. The amount depends on the age of the older partner and income of the claimant.

£
1997-98 2006-07

Personal allowance under 65

4,045

5,035

Personal allowance aged 65 to 74 (a)

5,220

7,280

Personal allowance aged 75 and over(1)

5,440

7,420

Married couple where older aged 65 to 74(2)

3,185

Married couple where one aged over 75(2)

3,225

Married or civil partnership couple where one of the couple born before 6 April 1935 but under 75(3)

6,065

Married or civil partnership couple where one of the couple born before 6 April 1935 and aged 75 and over(3)

6,135

Minimum level of Married Couple's Allowance(4)

(2)1,830

(3)2,350

Income limit(4)

15,600

20,100

(1) Every individual receives a personal allowance to set against their own taxable income. In a married couple or civil partner household both individuals receive a personal allowance but any unused amount cannot be transferred between the couple.
(2) Allowance given at a flat rate of 15 per cent. from the claimant's liability.
(3) Allowance given at a flat rate of 10 per cent. from the claimant's liability.
(4) The allowances for those 65 and over are reduced where the claimant's income exceeds the income limit. The personal allowance is not reduced below the level of the basic personal allowance and the married couple's allowance is not reduced below the minimum amount.

5 Feb 2007 : Column 744W

VAT: Food

Mrs. James: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on the charging of VAT on food at motorway service station restaurant outlets; [118387]

(2) what legislation applies to the (a) charging of VAT on food and (b) provision of information on VAT charging on menus and in-house advertisements by food retail outlets. [118504]

Dawn Primarolo: Supplies of food are VAT zero-rated unless otherwise specified in Group 1, Schedule 8 of the VAT Act 1994.

Supplies in the course of catering are excluded from the zero rate. These take place when food is supplied for consumption on the premises on which it is sold, and when food is sold to be eaten hot. Therefore VAT is chargeable on all food sold for consumption in motorway service station restaurants, as well as on all hot take-away food sold in motorway service stations.

The Price Marking (Food and Drink Services) Order 2003 requires restaurants, pubs and similar establishments to provide certain information to customers on menus and price lists. The Order also requires that an indication of the price of food (or of a charge payable in addition to the price of any food) which is subject to VAT shall be inclusive of the tax.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of tax credit overpayments have involved one or more errors by HM Revenue and Customs; and if he will make a statement; [118910]

(2) how many tax credit overpayments have been caused by (a) an individual’s income being incorrectly recorded by HM Revenue and Customs as zero and (b) IT failure; and if he will make a statement. [118911]

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Communities and Local Government

Affordable Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new affordable houses were built in Essex in each of the past five years. [115900]

Yvette Cooper: The numbers of affordable housing units built in Essex in each of the past five years are tabulated. Affordable housing includes both social rent and low-cost home ownership. Some affordable housing units are provided through the acquisition and refurbishment of dwellings purchased on the open market and these figures are also shown.

This includes Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood, Castle Point, Chelmsford, Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Maldon, Rochford, Southend-on-Sea (Unitary), Tendring, Thurrock (Unitary) and Uttlesford.


5 Feb 2007 : Column 745W
Affordable housing units provided: Essex
New build Acquisition Total

2001-02

698

133

831

2002-03

532

316

848

2003-04

365

463

828

2004-05

545

302

847

2005-06

1,078

361

1,439


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