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27 Mar 2007 : Column 1507W—continued
Departments: Conflict of Interests
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many instances there have been under Section 5.17 of the Ministerial Code of a Minister in his Department having duties removed to avoid a potential conflict of interest in the last five years. [120695]
John Healey: All provisions of the Ministerial Code, including those relating to financial interests, have been observed by Treasury Ministers.
EC Budget
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the gross cash contribution from the UK to the EU (a) was in each year since 1997 and (b) is expected to be in each year to the end of the 2007 Budget period; what the gross cash receipts from the EU to the UK (i) were and (ii) are expected to be in each year; what the net cash contribution to the EU from the UK (A) was and (B) is expected to be in each year; what the main elements making up the (1) gross contribution and (2) gross receipts (x) were and (y) are expected to be in each year; and what the main factors affecting changes from year to year (aa) were and (bb) are expected to be in each case. [130155]
Ed Balls:
The UK gross contribution to the EU budget, receipts, net contribution and the elements thereof for 2000-06, as well as the factors affecting the variations from one year to the next can be found in chapter 3 and the tables on pages 42 and 43 the EC Finances White Paper “Statement on the 2006 EC Budget and measures to counter fraud and financial management” (Cm 6670). The period 1997-99 is covered by the 2003 edition of the EC Finances White
Paper (Cm 5800). The 2007 edition of the White Paper, which will cover the years 2001 to 2007, will be published later this year.
A more recent forecast for UK net contributions to the EC budget in the years 2005-06 to 2007-08 can be found in the footnote to table C11 of the 2007 Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 342). 2007-08 is the final year of the current public expenditure planning cycle and revised forecasts for the later years will be included in the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007.
For estimated gross and net contributions to the EC budget and receipts over the next Financial Perspective I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), 31 January 2005, Official Report, column 399W.
The main factor affecting the changes in both contributions and receipts in the 2007-13 Financial Perspective with respect to earlier years is the accession of 10 new member states in 2004 and of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007.
Housing: Valuation
Martin Horwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many valuations were made under section 128 of the Housing Act 1985 by the district valuer in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) Sheffield between 1 September 2005 and 1 February 2006. [127988]
Dawn Primarolo: Within the time frame 1 September 2005 and 1 February 2006, the number of determinations made by the district valuer under section 128 of the Housing Act 1985 are as follows:
Gloucestershire (to include districts of Cheltenham, Cotswold, Forest of Dean, Stroud, Tewkesbury and City of Gloucester)—17;
South Gloucestershire (Unitary Authority)—10.
The Sheffield office of the Valuation Office Agency is responsible for determinations in the former Metropolitan county of South Yorkshire. Information has been provided for each district:
City of Sheffield—47;
Metropolitan borough of Rotherham—23;
Metropolitan borough of Doncaster—12;
Metropolitan borough of Barnsley11.
Inheritance Tax
Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the inheritance tax threshold was in each year since 1996-97. [129106]
Dawn Primarolo: The nil rate bands for inheritance tax in each of the last 10 financial years are given in table A.8 of HMRC National Statistics, available from the HMRC website at:
At Budget 2007 the Chancellor announced that the IHT nil rate band will rise by more than expected statutory indexation to £350,000 in 2010-11.
Isle of Man
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the common purse agreement on VAT between the UK and the Isle of Man; and how much the UK paid to the Isle of Man under this agreement in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [129497]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 23 March 2007]:The UK-Isle of Man revenue-sharing arrangement applies to a number of indirect taxes including VAT, customs duty and most excise duties, referred to as the “common duties”. The Isle of Man’s share of the common duties for each of the last 10 years is contained in the Isle of Man Annual Account. This account is certified by the National Audit Office, laid before Parliament and is therefore available from the House of Commons Library.
The formula for calculating the Isle of Man’s share of the common duties has recently been jointly reviewed by the UK and the Isle of Man and it has been agreed that a new formula will apply from 1 April 2007. A copy of the revised Treasury Direction, which sets out how the new revenue sharing formula will operate, will be placed in the House of Commons Library at the earliest opportunity.
Landfill Tax
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the landfill tax escalator on (a) local authorities’ costs of dealing with waste, (b) frequency of waste collections and (c) council tax bills. [129204]
Dawn Primarolo: There is no net effect on the total cost to local authorities as a whole of increases in the standard rate of landfill tax above 15 per tonne. Provision has been made in the increases in the total revenue support grant for local authorities for the estimated additional revenue.
The impact on the costs of individual local authorities, and so on council tax bills, will depend on the extent of the use of landfill by the authority.
It is for local authorities to determine the nature and frequency of their waste collection service within the legal framework and taking account of local circumstances. Cost will be one consideration in such decisions.
Planning Gain Supplement
Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the revenue from planning-gain supplement from English developments in areas outside London he expects to be allocated to the English regional assemblies. [129099]
John Healey:
At least 70 per cent. of planning-gain supplement (PGS) revenues would be returned to the local planning authority from which the planning permission was granted, and to which the PGS liability was attached. The Budget announced that the remaining share of all PGS revenues raised in a region would be returned to that region. Regions would have
access to a fund for spending in support of regional infrastructure priorities in pursuit of the objectives identified in regional spatial strategies (RSSs).
Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the revenue from planning gain supplement in Wales he plans to allocate to (a) the Welsh Assembly and (b) Welsh local authorities. [129103]
John Healey: As announced at the 2006 pre-Budget report, all planning-gain Supplement (PGS) revenues generated in the devolved Administrations would be returned to the country in which they were generated. The use of PGS funds in the devolved Administrations would be determined by the relevant Administrations, although it is proposed that PGS revenues should be dedicated to infrastructure throughout the UK.
Revenue and Customs: Manpower
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent posts were (a) lost and (b) created in HM Revenue and Customs between April 2006 and February 2007 at (i) grades Administrative Assistant to Senior Officer, (ii) Grades 6 and 7 and (iii) Senior Civil Service grades. [129872]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 26 March 2007]: The information requested is not available. HMRC does not record centrally details of all posts created within the department.
However, HMRC has a target to reduce its number of full-time equivalent posts by 16,000 between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2008, and redeploy 3,500 of these to additional frontline posts. HMRC reports regularly on progress towards these efficiency targets in its Spring and Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Social Security Benefits: Orders and Regulations
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the advice provided by the Social Security Advisory Council to his Department on (a) the Child Benefit (General) Regulations 2005, (b) the Child Tax Credits (Amendment) Regulations 2005, (c) the Child Tax Credits (Amendment) Regulations 2006, (d) the Tax Credits (Claims and Notifications) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 and (e) the Tax Credits (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006; and if he will make a statement. [128938]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer hon. Gentleman to the memorandum of understanding under which terms HMRC and the Social Security Advisory Committee conduct their business. The memorandum is available from the hmrc.gov.uk website or the Committee's website. The links are:
Stamp Duty: Carbon Emissions
David Howarth:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of
homes built during 2006 which would have been eligible to be exempt from stamp duty as being zero carbon. [130277]
Ed Balls: No data exist on the exact number of homes built in 2006 that would meet the qualifying criteria set out in the Budget for zero carbon homes. As set out in the Budget, the relief will help to kick start the market for new highly efficient technologies in homes. The Government’s aim is that within a decade all new homes will be zero carbon.
Students: Loans
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2007 to question 127940, what estimate he has made of the percentage of student loan repayments made to HM Revenue and Customs in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2003-04 that have not yet been passed on to the Student Loan Company; what estimate he has made of the total value of these payments; and how many people made student loan repayments during 2003-04. [129076]
Dawn Primarolo: For the financial year 2005-06 HM Revenue and Customs will only know the total number of borrowers who have had repayments deducted by their employer when they have finished processing all the employers' annual returns for that year.
However, at the current date, the best estimate is that information on 83 per cent. of all student loan repayments has already been passed on to the Student Loans Company.
For the financial year 2003-04 HMRC has passed information on student loan repayments for 277,499 borrowers to the Student Loans Company. HMRC is in the process of resolving queries that have delayed 21 cases (0.008 per cent.) being passed to the SLC.
With regards to the total value of these payments, no student loan amounts are passed to the SLC at any stage. All student loan amounts recovered by HMRC are passed to the Department for Education and Skills on a quarterly basis for investment in education. It is only the information about borrower repayments that is included in the employer's annual return that is passed to the SLC once that information becomes available after the end of the financial year. Published 2003-04 and 2004-05 student loans cash receipts figures are available in the 2005 and 2006 HM Revenue and Customs annual report which can be accessed at:
Tax Havens
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the 2006 US Senate report into tax havens; and what meetings he has had in the last 12 months with the Isle of Man authorities on this issue. [129498]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 23 March 2007]: I am not aware of any representations in relation to the 2006 US Senate report on tax havens.
My officials have had a number of meetings with officials from the Isle of Man on tax matters.
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to reduce (a) tax evasion and (b) money laundering in tax haven states. [129499]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 23 March 2007]: The Government support and promote measures that aim to reduce tax evasion and money laundering internationally. In particular, we have worked in partnership with the EU and the OECD to introduce measures that enhance transparency and exchange of information, which is the key to tackling tax evasion. Specific measures include the EU Savings Tax Directive and its framework of agreements with other countries and territories and the OECD initiative on tackling harmful tax practices.
From July 2007, the Government are taking action through the UK’s Presidency of the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF—the international standards setter on money laundering and terrorist finance), to identify and tackle the most serious financial threats posed by criminals and terrorists.
Taxation: Hotels
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations have made written representations to his Department on new, additional local taxation on hotel accommodation in the last 12 months, excluding submissions to the Lyons Inquiry. [129588]
John Healey: The Treasury receives numerous written representations on a range of tax issues, including tourist taxes.
In line with the recommendation made by Sir Michael Lyons in his final report into the role and funding of local government that a robust evidence base has not been developed to support the introduction of a tourist tax, the Government do not intend to introduce a tourist tax. Tax policy is kept under constant review and changes are normally announced by the Chancellor at the Budget.
Tax Law Rewrite Project
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Tax Law Rewrite Project has identified changes in the law which would be beneficial but which require a policy decision. [129769]
Dawn Primarolo: Policy suggestions are sometimes made by those responding to draft clauses published by the Tax Law Rewrite project for comment.
These are passed to officials with responsibility for the relevant policy areas for them to consider. All policy suggestions received in response to each draft Bill are listed in the response document for the relevant Bill.
Taxation: Pensions
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the cost of tax relief for approved pension schemes in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. [130104]
Ed Balls: Latest detailed estimates of the annual cost of tax relief on approved pension schemes are available in table 7.9 on Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs website at:
In addition a provisional estimate of the overall net cost of tax relief for the current year is given in table A3.1 of the Budget report. This is £16.3 billion for 2006-07.
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