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15 Jun 2007 : Column 1420W—continued
Debts: Burma
Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Burma last repaid debt owed to the UK Government; what recent steps the Government have taken to recover debt owed by Burma; and what legal options are available to the Government to recover debt owed by Burma. [141625]
Ed Balls: ECGD—the Export Credits Guarantee Department—has unrecovered claims totalling £22.9 million in respect of seven contracts in the power, textile and water sectors on which claims were paid to UK banks/exporters between 1988 and 1998. There have been no recoveries since 1990.
The UK also has two outstanding aid loans amounting to £1.06 million that are managed by the
World Bank. These represent the UK's share of co-funded loans from the EU. The loans reverted to bilateral status in 2005. These loans are not currently being serviced by Burma.
Given the economic and political situation in the country, HMG does not consider that legal action would be appropriate.
Pension Funds: Taxation
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the actuarial valuation assumptions referred to in the Inland Revenue policy note of 21 May 1997 as very cautious were; [141538]
(2) what evidence the Inland Revenue's Savings and Investment Division collected to support its view expressed to him on 21 May 1997 that actuarial valuation assumptions tended to very cautious. [141597]
Ed Balls: The policy note of 21 May 1997 describes actuarial valuation assumptions as tending to be “very cautious”, on the basis of advice from the Government Actuary's Department (GAD) that the dividend growth model used by actuaries implicitly assumes
“a conservative real rate of return on equity. [This] tends to mean that actuarial value is somewhat less than the market value...”
GAD's rationale is explained on pages 34 and 35 of the 27 June document released on 30 March.
Taxation: Quarrying
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 1 May 2007, Official Report, columns 1630-31W, on taxation: quarrying, what steps the Government are taking to specify in their procurement policies the use of recycled demolition waste rather than virgin aggregates. [138769]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), established by Government, is encouraging major construction clients, their advisors and main contractors to make clear commitments to use products with higher recycled content. This includes encouraging the greater use in public sector construction projects of recycled demolition waste rather than virgin aggregates. WRAP’s target for its 2006-08 business plan is for £10 billion worth of construction projects to set requirements for waste minimisation, recycling and recycled content. WRAP is making good progress towards achieving this target, and is working with other programmes to ensure that these commitments are put into effect.
Tree Preservation Orders
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines have been produced for the use of tree protection orders in relation to (a) Crown land and (b) the sale of Crown land to the private sector. [142170]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
Paragraph 50 of Communities and Local Government’s Circular 02/2006, “Crown Application
of the Planning Acts”, provides guidelines on the use of Tree Preservation orders (TPOs) on Crown land.
No guidelines have been issued specifically on TPOs and the sale of Crown land to the private sector. However, the Department’s policy document “Tree Preservation Orders: A Guide to the Law and Good Practice” makes clear that local planning authorities may consider it expedient to make TPOs where land, including Crown land, is about to change hands.
Valuation Office Agency
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the project topic was of the Gateway Review undertaken for the Valuation Office Agency in October 2005. [142366]
Mr. Timms: This was a Gate 4 review of the Valuations Project, which formed part of the programme of projects in place to implement the council tax revaluation in England in 2007, which was postponed on 20 September 2005. The review was a pre-planned independent audit of the soundness of the work done up to that point, and the project was awarded ‘Green status’ to signal that the project was ready for implantation.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2007, Official Report, column 2134W, on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), whether the VOA carbon off-set foreign visits made by their staff; and at what cost for visits made in the last 12 months. [142402]
Mr. Timms: As part of the Government estate, and to meet the sustainable operational targets, the VOA has recently committed to offset it’s carbon dioxide emissions through the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund (GCOF). DEFRA advised, on the 18 May 2007, that the total cost to offset its emissions for 2006-07 financial year is £822.53 (for 83tCO2 emitted). This total includes domestic and international flights.
VAT: Memorials
Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many UK charities have been refunded VAT for the construction, renovation and maintenance of war memorials since August 2005; and what total sum has been refunded in that period. [142591]
Mr. Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
The Memorials Grant Scheme returns as a grant the equivalent of the VAT incurred by charities and faith groups in establishing or maintaining memorial structures. Since August 2005, grants totalling £660,000 have been made. Of this, grants totalling £529,851 have been made to nine UK charities for the construction, renovation or maintenance of war memorials. Additional sums have been paid to faith groups for the maintenance of war memorials in their care.
Welfare Tax Credits: Wimbledon
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimants of tax credit there are in Wimbledon. [143134]
Mr. Timms: Estimates for 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 of the number of in-work families with tax credits awards (including out-of-work families in 2005-06), based on final family circumstances and incomes for 2003-04, 2004- 05 and 2005-06 are published in “Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards 2003-04 Geographical Analysis”, “Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards 2004-05 Geographical Analysis” and “Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards 2005-06 Geographical Analysis”. These publications and provisional estimates for the number of in-work families by constituency with tax credit awards as at selected dates in 2006-07 (including out-of-work families in April 2007) are available on the HMRC website at:
Departments: Public Expenditure
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27th March 2007, Official Report, columns 1441-2W, on Departments: public expenditure, for which losses his Department was granted Treasury approval in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [136769]
Mr. Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
All losses incurred by the Home Office during the last five years have been managed by the Department within the scope of authorities delegated by the Treasury, the thresholds for which were set out in the reply provided to the hon. Member on 27 March 2007.
The overall level of losses incurred by the Home Office in any one year is reported in its resource accounts.
Wales
Departments: Renewable Energy
Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much energy in kilowatt hours was purchased by
his Department from renewable sources in the most recent year for which figures are available. [142205]
Mr. Hain: 83,176 kilowatt hours—100 per cent. of the energy purchased by the Wales Office was from renewable sources in this current year.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his strategy is for renewable energy and meeting energy targets in departmental buildings; and if he will make a statement. [142208]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office, as an associated office of the Ministry of Justice, is included under the Ministry of Justice strategy.
The strategy employed focuses on procuring as much renewable electricity as is feasible.
The strategy deployed to meet the Department’s energy targets is a system of monitoring buildings of similar ages, sizes and functions. We investigate any anomalies in demand. We also invest in energy saving measures in addition, promoting best practice.
Work and Pensions
Social Security Benefits: Patients
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefits are available to parents whose children below the age of three years are in hospital; and if he will make a statement. [143143]
Mr. Plaskitt: Parents who are responsible for children below the age of three years who are in hospital are able to claim the same benefits and increases as all other persons responsible for children; the exact amounts that they receive will depend upon the individual circumstances of each such case.
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