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25 July 2007 : Column 1183W—continued
Duchy of Lancaster: Finance
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the disbursement from the surplus of the Duchy of Lancaster to the Queen was in each year from 1979. [151281]
Edward Miliband: The information requested is available in the Libraries of the House for the reference of Members.
Ministerial Policy Advisers: Standards
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007, Official Report, column 36W, on ministerial policy advisers: standards, whether the code will be published within the next two months. [151274]
Edward Miliband: It will be published as soon as possible.
Official Residences: Official Hospitality
Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much has been spent on entertainment from the public purse at (a) One Carlton Gardens, (b) Chevening, (c) Admiralty House, (d) Hillsborough Castle and (e) the Lord Chancellor’s apartments since 27 June 2007. [152461]
Edward Miliband:
Guidance relating to Ministers’ use of official residences is set out in Sections 6.2 and 7.10 the “Ministerial Code”. The detailed information
requested is not held centrally. Expenditure on official entertainment is the responsibility of the relevant department.
Public Appointments: Pay
Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who has been appointed to the board of a public body since 27 July 2007; and on what salary in each case. [152460]
Edward Miliband: Individual departments publish information annually on appointments to the public bodies for which they are responsible, including information on remuneration. Data for 2006-07 is in the process of being published by departments alongside the publication of departmental reports.
Northern Ireland
Prison Staff: Religious Affiliation
8. Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of (a) prison officers and (b) other prison service staff in Northern Ireland are from each religion or community in Northern Ireland. [151129]
Paul Goggins: At 1 April 2007 within the NIPS the composition of prison service grades was 80.1 per cent. Protestant, 8.4 per cent. Roman Catholic and 11.5 per cent. non-determined. For non-prison service grades the composition was 75.3 per cent. Protestant, 22.9 per cent. Roman Catholic and 1.8 per cent. non-determined.
Historical Inquiries
10. Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost of the ongoing historical inquiries in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [151131]
11. Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of work on historical inquiries in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [151132]
Mr. Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Members for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper), Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) and for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill).
Dissident Republican Groups
12. Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the security threat posed by dissident republican groups. [151133]
Mr. Woodward: As the 15th IMC report shows, dissident republicans, although isolated and few in number, continue to engage in terrorist activities and remain a threat to the security situation.
Saville Inquiry
13. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on the Saville inquiry. [151134]
Mr. Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Members for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper), and for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) and the right hon Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay).
Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations
14. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received on the application of the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006. [151135]
Paul Goggins: I have received no representations on the application of these regulations, the responsibility for which now rests with the Northern Ireland Executive.
Parades Commission
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the findings of the Review of the Parades Commission. [151130]
Mr. Woodward: The work of the Strategic Review of Parading, chaired by Lord Ashdown, is under way, and is due to report in early 2008. This review aims to find a settled cross-community view on the issue of parading.
Parades
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the policing of 12 July parades in 2007. [151136]
Paul Goggins: It is encouraging to note that for the second consecutive year the PSNI policed the 12 July parades without the need for soldiers to be deployed on the ground.
Treasury
11 Downing Street: Charities
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007, Official Report, column 361W, on 11 Downing street: charities, on how many occasions each of those charities has used 11 Downing street. [147417]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 3 July 2007]: Charities can apply for extended use of number 11 Downing street if they so wish and subject to availability. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my hon. Friend gave on 1 February 2007, Official Report, column 412W, on 8 February 2007, Official Report, column 1133W and 16 May 2007, Official Report, column 758W.
Departments: Air Conditioning
Chris Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years. [151983]
Angela Eagle: The following table presents the costs to HMT and its agencies as can be obtained from information held centrally:
| £ | |||||
| Department/agency | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| Note: VAT is included in the figures unless stated otherwise. | |||||
Departments: Rural Areas
Mr. Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Treasury achievement targets take account of rural proofing. [152082]
Andy Burnham: The Treasury undertakes rural proofing, where applicable, in its policy development, in line with Green Book guidance (see chapter 2, paragraph 25 which states: “Rural issues—the Government is committed to ensuring that all its policies take account of specific rural circumstances. Appraisers should assess whether proposals are likely to have a different impact in rural areas from elsewhere.”). HM Treasury has 10 public service agreement (PSA) targets set under the 2004 spending review. The relevant policies underlying these targets have been rural proofed.
Departments: Visits Abroad
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overseas visits were made by (a) officials and (b) Ministers within his responsibility, and at what cost, in each year since 1997. [151650]
Angela Eagle: In 2006-07, travel and subsistence costs for the Treasury were £1,881,000. Further detail relating to the number of visits could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In respect of total costs for earlier years, I refer to the answer given by the then Financial Secretary (John Healey) to the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) on 12 June 2006, Official Report, column 926W.
Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500, as well as the total cost of all ministerial travel overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. Information for 2006-07 is currently being compiled and will be published before the summer recess. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the civil service management code and the ministerial code.
EC Internal Trade
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions representatives of HM Revenue and Customs have had with the European Commission on cross-border shopping. [151301]
Angela Eagle:
HM Revenue and Customs have had no recent discussions with the European Commission on cross-border shopping. In October 2001, the European Commission launched infraction proceedings against
the UK concerning its policy in relation to seizures and sanctions for smuggling of excise goods. Between then and March 2006, when the Commission closed these infraction proceedings, a number of meetings were held between representatives of HM Revenue and Customs and Commission officials to discuss this issue.
Housing: Low Incomes
Alistair Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the case for a tariff system in place of section 106 agreements and planning gain supplement. [151316]
Angela Eagle: In his statement on the third session draft legislative programme on 11 July 2007, the Prime Minister said that the Planning-gain Supplement Bill is provisional within that programme because if, prior to the pre-Budget report, a better way is identified of ensuring that local communities receive significantly more of the benefit from planning gain, including to invest in necessary infrastructure and transport, and it is demonstrated that it is a better alternative, the Government will be prepared to defer next session's legislation.
The Housing Green Paper published on 23 July 2007 says that PCS remains the Government's preferred option but lists the main alternative approaches, including those which have been raised by stakeholders.
These approaches set out in the Green Paper will form the basis for discussions with key stakeholders prior to the pre-Budget report.
OECD: Israel
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make it his policy to support the application of Israel to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); what discussions he has had with the OECD about the issue; and if he will make a statement; [150996]
(2) what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers and officials from his Department have had with the Government of Israel on its application to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; and if he will make a statement; [150997]
(3) what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers and officials from his Department have had with the US Administration on the application of Israel to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; and if he will make a statement. [150998]
Kitty Ussher: The UK supported the OECD decision, taken by consensus, that Israel, along with Chile, Estonia, Russia and Slovenia, should start accession negotiations with the OECD. Roadmaps for the accession processes are being prepared by the Secretary General for the OECD Council approval. These will set out the terms and conditions that will be required of each individual candidate country before their accession can take place. The FCO leads on the OECD for Her Majesty’s Government.
Treasury Ministers and officials discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in the OECD and accession countries as part of the process of policy analysis, development and delivery.
Revenue and Customs: ICT
Alistair Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what access HM Revenue and Customs has to the Valuation Office Agency’s (a) Automated Valuation Model and (b) property databases to assist it in its statutory functions. [151328]
Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs staff have no direct access to the Valuation Office Agency’s (a) Automated Valuation Model or (b) property databases.
Tax Allowances
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his most recent estimate is of the costs of making the personal allowance transferable between couples; and if he will make a statement; [151190]
(2) what estimate he has made of the total financial effect on (a) married couples with children and (b) married couples without children of making the personal allowance transferable; and if he will make a statement; [151191]
(3) what estimate he has made of the proportion of individuals who are married who would benefit from a transferable personal tax allowance; and if he will make a statement. [151193]
Jane Kennedy: Due to the complex nature of this question the following estimates should be treated with caution. These estimates exclude any behavioural response to the change, which could be significant given the magnitude of the change.
The most recent estimate of the costs of making the personal allowance transferable between all couples, married and unmarried, is approximately £4.1 billion in 2007-08.
The cost for married couples with children of making the personal allowance transferable is estimated to be around £1.5 billion in 2007-08. The cost for married couples without children of making the personal allowance transferable is estimated to be around £1.9 billion in 2007-08. It is estimated that 38 per cent. of married couples would benefit from a transferable tax allowance in 2007-08.
The estimates were calculated using the Department’s tax and benefit model (IGOTM) based on data from the Family Resources Survey.
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