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8 Feb 2007 : Column 1152W—continued

National insurance contributions as a percentage of gross household income United Kingdom. 1997-98 to 2004-05
	Decile groups of all households ranked by equivalised disposable income										Percentage
	Bottom	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	Top	All households
1997-98	1.2	1.7	2.1	3.1	4.1	4.7	5.0	5.3	5.3	3.6	42
1998-99	1.5	1.8	2.2	3.4	4.1	4.6	5.1	5.4	5.2	3.5	4.2
1999-2000	1.3	1.6	2.2	3.2	3.8	4.5	4.8	5.0	5.2	3.1	3.9
2000-01	1.2	1.6	2.3	2.9	3.9	4.4	4.9	4.9	4.8	3.2	3.8
2001-02	1.2	1.2	2.0	2.7	3.7	4.2	4.6	5.0	5.1	3.2	3.8
2002-03	1.0	1.5	1.9	3.0	3.5	4.0	4.6	4.8	4.7	3.4	3.8
2003-04	1.2	1.6	2.3	3.3	4.1	4.8	5.1	5.5	5.5	4.1	4.4
2004-05	1.1	1.8	2.7	3.3	4.3	4.8	5.2	5.6	5.9	4.2	4.5
Source: ‘The effects of taxes and benefits on household Income’, ONS

Income tax and national insurance contributions as a percentage of gross household income United Kingdom. 1997-98 to 2004-05
	Decile groups of all households ranked by equivalised disposable income										Percentage
	Bottom	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	Top	All households
1997-98	5.2	5.7	7.3	10.5	14.2	16.5	18.6	20.3	21.5	23.5	18.3
1998-99	4.9	5.7	7.0	10.6	13.5	15.8	17.6	19.2	20.6	23.3	17.7
1999-2000	4.1	5.0	7.1	10.6	13.2	15.2	17.4	19.0	20.6	22.3	17.3
2000-01	4.4	5.5	8.5	11.0	13.9	16.0	18.2	19.3	20.8	22.0	17.5
2001-02	4.5	4.3	7.2	11.0	13.1	15.2	17.5	19.1	21.0	23.0	17.6
2002-03	3.6	5.7	6.7	10.5	13.0	15.0	17.2	18.9	20.3	23.4	17.3
2003-04(1)	4.7	4.6	7.1	10.1	12.9	15.6	17.8	19.6	21.1	24.0	17.8
2004-05	3.4	5.3	7.9	10.3	13.4	15.4	17.4	19.6	21.8	23.8	17.8
(1) From 2003-04 onwards, income tax is shown after the deduction of any tax credits, which offset payments of income tax. Before 2002-03 tax credits treated wholly as social security benefits. Source: ‘The effects of taxes and benefits on household income’, ONS

Tax Credits

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many HM Revenue and Customs employees are being prosecuted for tax credit fraud; how many were prosecuted for such fraud since the tax credit scheme began; and if he will make a statement; [111310]

(2) how many HM Revenue and Customs staff have received prison sentences for committing tax credit fraud since the tax credit scheme began; what the total amount of fraud was in each case; and if he will make a statement. [111311]

Dawn Primarolo: Since the introduction of the tax credit scheme, three HMRC employees have been prosecuted for tax credit fraud, and three cases are currently in the process of being prosecuted. Of the three prosecuted, two have received immediate custodial sentences of 30 months and 20 months respectively. The total amount of the fraud in each case was approximately £147,000 and £96,000. The third prosecution for tax credit fraud of £2,300 resulted in a four months custodial sentence suspended for two years and 150 hours community punishment.

Terrorism

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department’s planned expenditure on counter-terrorism is for 2007-08. [104846]

Ed Balls: The Treasury’s estimated expenditure on counter-terrorism in 2007-08 is £2.3 million. This includes staff costs on related policy development and the Treasury’s contribution to enhanced security measures in Whitehall.

VAT: Home Education

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when HM Revenue and Customs was
8 Feb 2007 : Column 1153W
notified by the European Court of Justice of the Werner Haderer referral; and whether HM Revenue and Customs made representations in response to this notification. [118497]

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs was notified of the Werner Haderer referral on 1 February 2006, and made no representations in response to this notification.

Street Markets

Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the contribution to the economy of local street markets. [111757]

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.

The Government recognises the valuable contribution that street markets can make to local choice and diversity in shopping, and the vitality of town centres, but it is for local authorities to decide how they achieve that local choice and diversity, taking account of the national policy framework.

To support and develop the role of street markets, national planning policy, in “Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres” (PPS6), asks local authorities to consider markets as an integral part of the vision for their town centres, and to seek to retain and enhance existing markets and, where appropriate, re-introduce or create new ones. Local authorities are encouraged to ensure that their markets remain attractive and competitive by investing in their improvement.

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PPS6 asks local authorities to assess the need for retail development, as a context for planning for town centres, and to ensure that there are sites available to provide for this need. We would expect local authorities to take account of the role of street markets in carrying out this assessment.

Planning policy does not specifically promote street markets as part of out-of-town developments. PPS6 promotes policies which will support the vitality and viability of existing town centres. But local authorities are encourage to plan more widely for people’s day-to-day needs and to seek to remedy deficiencies in local shopping and other facilities where appropriate, working with local communities and stakeholders. This could include promoting local street markets.

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