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14 May 2007 : Column 564W—continued
| Box 1. Alcohol-related causes of death — International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) | |
| Cause of death | ICD-9 code(s) |
|
Unspecified chronic liver disease without mention of alcohol | |
| Box 2. Alcohol-related causes of death - International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) | |
| Cause of death | ICD-10 code(s) |
Departments: Secondment
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 April 2007, Official Report, column 626W, on Departments: secondment, what policy areas the secondee from Sunderland Teaching primary care trust covered within the Treasury’s health team during his time at the Treasury. [136321]
Mr. Timms: HM Treasury does not comment on the work programmes of individual members of staff.
Inheritance Tax
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he received from (a) Treasury officials and (b) HM Revenue and Customs officials before his decision to change the inheritance tax treatment of (i) accumulation and maintenance trusts and (ii) interest in possession trusts in the Finance Act 2006. [136349]
Ed Balls: This Government, as with previous administrations, does not release advice to Ministers as to do so would prejudice candid and frank discussion.
Members: Correspondence
Graham Stringer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley of 7th February and 13th March. [136955]
John Healey: I have replied to my hon. Friend.
Personal Income
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the median equivalised (a) net and (b) gross household income was for households where the household reference person was aged (i) 16 to 20, (ii) 21 to 25, (iii) 25 to 30, (iv) 30 to 40, (v) 40 to 50, (vi) 50 to 60, (vii) 60 to 65, (viii) 65 to 75, (ix) 75 to 85 and (x) over 85 in (A) 1997, (B) 2004-05 and (C) in the last period for which figures are available. [133833]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
The available information is in the following tables.
The age-bands requested are not mutually exclusive so they have been adjusted slightly in order to make them so.
| Table 1: Median equivalised net household income (£ per week) by age-band of household reference person. | ||
| Age-band of household reference person | 1996-97 | 2004-05 |
| Table 2: Median equivalised gross household income (£ per week): by age-band of household reference person. | ||
| Age-band of household reference person | 1996-97 | 2004-05 |
| Notes: 1. The information is based on OECD equalisation factors and therefore it will not be the same as any figures previously published that were based on McClement’s equivalisation factors. 2. The per week values are in the prices for that particular year. Source: Family Resources Survey | ||
Taxation: Diplomatic Missions
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which diplomatic missions to the United Kingdom remit income tax, or monies in lieu of income tax, to the Inland Revenue or Exchequer in respect of locally engaged staff who are (a) UK citizens and (b) other nationals who are (i) EU citizens and (ii) non-EU citizens; and if he will make a statement. [136113]
Ed Balls [holding answer 10 May 2007]: Some diplomatic missions voluntarily operate the “Pay As You Earn” scheme on the salaries of their locally engaged staff. The operation of the UK’s Double Taxation Agreements and UK domestic law dealing with official agents of foreign governments may exempt certain staff who are not nationals of the UK. Details of the missions which operate PAYE cannot be disclosed for reasons of taxpayer confidentiality.
Tax Credits
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much HM Revenue and Customs spent in 2006-07 on advertising aimed at increasing the take-up rate of tax credits; [133747]
(2) what plans he has to improve the take-up rate of tax credits. [133748]
Mr. Timms: Around six million families and nearly 10 million children are currently benefiting from tax credits. Take-up is higher than any previous system of income-related financial support for in-work families.
In 2006-07, HM Revenue and Customs spent £5.37 million(1) on advertising and marketing for tax credits to ensure that claimants understood the system and encourage all eligible families to claim. This included £250,000(1) specifically aimed at targeting new mothers, ethnic minority communities and those eligible for working tax credit. HMRC will continue to run advertising and marketing, targeting new mothers and ethnic minority communities.
The Government are committed to increasing take-up among people entitled to working tax credit only. It has run a pilot exercise in some areas to test ways of improving take-up of working tax credit among people without children; and following this, also plans to run regional marketing activity to encourage take-up of working tax credit. HMRC will do more to encourage new claims from this group, drawing on the lessons from these pilots on the most effective approaches.
Regular national advertising on Renewals and Changes in Circumstance also serve to maintain general awareness of tax credits.
(1) Quoted figures cover media spend, excluding VAT.
VAT: National Lottery Projects
Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to the VAT treatment of (a) the Cricklands County Way and (b) other Big Lottery Living Landmarks projects. [136786]
John Healey: The general position is that the receipt of lottery grants will normally be outside the scope of VAT as they are generally not payment for any supplies.
Purchases made using grant income will be subject to the normal rules of VAT. VAT incurred on purchases made with grant income can be recovered through the VAT system to the extent that it relates to the grantee’s taxable business activities. VAT cannot usually be recovered on purchases related to an organisation’s exempt supplies or non-business activities. Applicants for lottery funding should always consider irrecoverable VAT when making their bids.
Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 does not permit HM Revenue and Customs to disclose information relating to the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.
VAT: Voluntary Aided Schools
Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the policy which determines that voluntary-aided schools subject to charitable status are required to pay 17.5 per cent. VAT on new school buildings. [136276]
John Healey: VAT is not chargeable on the construction of new school buildings for voluntary aided schools with charitable status, provided that these buildings will be used at least 90 per cent. for a relevant charitable purpose, such as free education.
EU agreements governing the application of reliefs from VAT mean that while we can retain the VAT zero rate for the construction of charity buildings as it currently stands, we cannot extend its scope, or introduce any new VAT zero rates.
Health
Abortion
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will bring forward legislation to require a woman considering an abortion to see an ultrasound of her unborn child beforehand; what recent representations she has received on the issue; and if she will make a statement. [132652]
Caroline Flint: It is accepted parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion have come from Back-Bench Members and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes. The Government have no plans to change the law on abortion.
The guideline “The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion” issued by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2004) recommends that when ultrasound scanning is undertaken, it should be done in a setting and manner sensitive to the woman’s situation. For most abortions, when scanning is undertaken, the screen is turned away and the vast majority of women do not request to see the image.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received on the Termination of Pregnancy Bill; how many such representations (a) supported and (b) opposed the Bill; and if she will make a statement. [132653]
Caroline Flint: We contacted a range of Government Departments and stakeholders to get the best possible understanding of the implications of the Termination of Pregnancy Bill to draw up a Regulatory Impact Assessment. We did not specifically ask these organisations (or individuals representing them) whether they supported or opposed the proposed legislation. The consultation was solely to obtain views on the outcomes that were considered most likely to occur in the event of introducing the legislation proposed in the Bill.
A list of those consulted (through written feedback and/or through personal interviews) is as follows:
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