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8 May 2007 : Column 190W—continued
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 April 2007, Official Report, column 628W, on parliamentary questions, what the last occasion was on which such advice was provided to another Department. [136320]
John Healey: I have nothing to add to my earlier answers to the hon. Gentleman.
Planning Gain Supplement
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to take a decision on whether to proceed with the planning gain supplement before the summer adjournment. [136248]
John Healey: Budget 2007 made further announcements on the revenue allocation of the Planning-gain Supplement (PGS) including at the local and regional levels. The Government are currently considering the responses to the recent consultations on valuations, the payment process and changes to planning obligations in England which closed on 28 February 2007. If after further consideration PGS continues to be deemed workable and effective, it would be introduced no earlier than 2009.
Smuggling: Meat
Mr. Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meat detector sniffer dogs were employed at UK ports and airports in each year since 1997. [135248]
John Healey: Meat detection dogs were introduced by Defra in 2002, and were transferred to HMRC in 2003. The number of Products of Animal Origin Detector dogs used at ports and airports in Great Britain since 2002 is in the following table:
| Number | |
These dogs are employed on a mobile basis across Great Britain.
We cannot disclose further information about the deployment of the dogs as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent HM Revenue and Customs' controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of crime.
Taxation: Emergency Services
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department's policy is on the treatment for tax purposes of the use of emergency vehicles (a) between home and workplace and (b) for other private purposes by the drivers of such vehicles. [135632]
John Healey: The Government introduced legislation in Finance Act 2004 to remove the tax charge that would otherwise arise where members of the fire, police, ambulance and paramedic services are required to take their vehicles home so they can respond quickly to emergencies when on call.
However, it is only fair that someone who can use a vehicle supplied by their employer for personal purposes should pay tax on the benefit of being able to do so, just as anyone else has to do.
Fire, police and health service vehicles are also exempt from vehicle excise duty.
Welfare Tax Credits: Child Benefit
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Copeland qualify for both child benefit and child tax credit. [135497]
Mr. Timms:
Sample-based estimates of the number of families in each constituency benefiting from CTC
in provisional tax credits awards at April 2007 (or receiving the equivalent level of support via income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance) are published on the HMRC website and can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
The average number of families in each constituency benefiting from CTC in finalised 2005-06 awards will be published on 22 May 2007. No estimates are available of the number of families in each constituency who qualify for child tax credit (CTC) but have not claimed it.
World Customs Organisation
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the meetings his officials attended at the World Customs Organisation in each of the last three years. [R] [136366]
John Healey: Over the last three years, HMRC officials have attended approximately 80 World Customs Organisation meetings, covering all aspects of customs and international trade, security and enforcement issues. It would be impractical to list the meetings individually.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what status the World Customs Organisation holds in relation to UK law. [R] [136367]
John Healey: The UK is a member of the World Customs Organisation, with full voting rights, and takes an active part in negotiations. The EU is not a full member—it has observer status—but may choose to adopt WCO agreements and conventions should it wish to do so (and as it has done, for example, with the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System (HS)). Any agreement or convention made by the WCO and not subject to Community competence only takes effect in UK law once it has been ratified and then enacted by Parliament: the UK may choose whether to ratify or not. Where agreements do fall under Community competence, the UK is bound to apply them where they are adopted and contained in Community legal instruments.
Scotland
Poverty
9. Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Scottish Ministers on levels of poverty in Scotland. [135099]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I have had regular discussions with Scottish Ministers on a range of issues.
Employment
10. Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the rate of employment was in Scotland in each quarter of 2006-07. [135100]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: For 2006, the figures were as follows:
Quarter one 75.3 per cent. (to February 2006);
Quarter two 75.2 per cent. (to May 2006);
Quarter three 75.1 per cent. (to August 2006); and
Quarter four 75.3 per cent (to November 2006).
Energy Costs
12. Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with energy companies on the costs of energy in Scotland. [135102]
David Cairns: Individual pricing decisions are very much a matter for each of the energy companies. The Government do not intervene in what is a competitive and free market.
Scottish Parliament Elections
13. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to meet the First Minister following the Scottish Parliament elections; and what he plans to discuss. [135103]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I look forward to discussing with the new First Minister a range of issues relevant to the well-being and prosperity of the people of Scotland.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to meet the First Minister of Scotland following the Scottish Parliament elections; and what he plans to discuss. [135090]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I look forward to discussing with the new First Minister a range of issues relevant to the well-being and prosperity of the people of Scotland.
Commonwealth Games
14. Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what involvement his Department has had in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games bid, with particular reference to the formal bid expected to be presented to the Commonwealth Games Federation in London on 9 May. [135104]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I have recently secured the full support of the United Kingdom Government for Glasgow and Scotland's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth games. The bid will be formally submitted tomorrow.
Decision-Making Powers
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he plans to bring forward proposals to increase the decision-making powers of the Scottish Executive. [135096]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The current devolution settlement continues to serve us well and the Government have no plans for further legislative devolution of decision-making powers to the Scottish Executive.
University Education
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school leavers from Scotland opted for university education in England in the last year for which figures are available. [135101]
David Cairns: There are 1,430 Scottish domiciled students who entered higher education institutions in England in 2005-06.
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