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17 Jan 2008 : Column 1430Wcontinued
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the merits of linking changes in the winter fuel allowance to changes in fuel prices. [179828]
Angela Eagle: The Government keep all tax rates and benefit payments under review as part of the Budget process. However, the pre-Budget report 2005 announced that winter fuel payments will be paid at their current levels for the rest of this Parliament.
Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the guidance provided by HM Treasury to Departments on what should be included in their 2007 autumn performance reports. [179152]
Andy Burnham: A copy of the guidance to departments on their 2007 autumn performance reports (APRs) is being deposited in the Library.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how HM Revenue and Customs allocates deliveries to mail carriers employed to handle outgoing mail. [169944]
Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs allocate mail to carriers based on contractual obligations, level of service requirements and best value.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the remuneration packages of directors and senior managers of Northern Rock. [179831]
Angela Eagle: Remuneration of staff and directors is a matter for the board of Northern Rock. Details of directors remuneration packages are included in the annual report and accounts.
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome was of the review of the 16 hour rule announced in paragraph 4.10 of the Parole Board Review 2004 document, Choice for Parents. [179778]
Jane Kennedy: The Government considered the option of extending entitlement to the child care element of working tax credits as set out in pre-Budget report 2004. However, as the child care element is an integral part of the overall tax credits system, it would not be practical to have a shorter hours rule for certain claimants claiming certain elements.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of raising the level of trivial commutation to (a) £16,000, (b) £17,000, (c) £18,000, (d) £19,000, (e) £20,000, (f) £21,000, (g) £22,000, (h) £23,000, (i) £24,000, (j) £25,000, (k) £26,000, (l) £27,000, (m) £28,000, (n) £29,000, (o) £30,000, (p) £31,000, (q) £32,000, (r) £33,000, (s) £34,000 and (t) £35,000. [177955]
Andy Burnham: The trivial commutation limit is currently £16,000 and will rise in stages to £18,000 in 2010. The cost of raising the trivial commutation limit would depend upon a number of behavioural factors, though independent research by the Pensions Policy Institute published in June 2007 suggests the cost to the Exchequer from significantly raising the current limits would most likely be very high. Figures from the ABI show that many annuitised pots are below the £16,000 ceiling for trivial commutation, which suggests the limits are already very generous.
At PBR 2006 the Government announced that HMRC would discuss with interested parties concerns raised regarding the administration costs of paying trivial commutation lump sums under current rules. The Government are exploring how the current rules impact on the interests of individual pensioners, pension savers, and pension providers and how they fit with its wider objectives of encouraging pension saving to provide people with an income in retirement.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what policies HM Revenue and Customs has in place to ensure that correspondence is securely delivered; and if he will make a statement. [173360]
Jane Kennedy: HMRC's post and carriage guidance determines which form of postal service should be used for the different types of mail HMRC deals with.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's policy is on the proposals in the London Local Authorities Bill to introduce a new additional plastic bags tax on shops in London. [173340]
Angela Eagle: The Government pledged in the Waste Strategy for England 2007 to phase out free, single-use carrier bags. The Prime Minister made clear in his environment speech of 19 November that in the longer term it will be necessary to eliminate these bags altogether. The Government are actively considering how it can bring forward action that will enable single- use carrier bags to be phased out, but determining the right way forward needs careful consideration, including the need for compliance with E.U. law.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any of his Departments special advisers also work for organisations outside his Department. [178484]
Maria Eagle: Special advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract and Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, copies of which are in the Library of the House. My Departments special advisers have informed the permanent secretary that they hold no outside appointments.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he will reply to the letter, dated 19 November, from the right hon. Member for Manchester Gorton, regarding Mr Kurm Shezad Butt. [177550]
Mr. Straw: I apologise for the delay. The letter was sent on 16 January 2008.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he will reply to the letter of 29 November 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr A. Anwar. [179263]
Mr. Straw: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 13 January. I apologise for the delay.
Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by (a) the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) on external consultancy fees and (b) his Department on external consultancy fees related to NOMS in each of the last three years. [179366]
Mr. Straw: Central collation of NOMS HQ costs started in February 2006, following its creation on 1 April 2005. The amount spent on consultants by NOMS during the period February 2006 to December 2007 is as follows:
£ | |
It is not possible to provide details of Consultancy spend for NOMS by the wider Department, since such details were not collated centrally during this period. The cost, however, is likely to be negligible in the context of information provided in the table.
Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent staff are employed by (a) the National Offender Management Service, (b) the National Probation Service and (c) HM Prison Service. [179367]
Mr. Straw:
The last published figures were as at 31 December 2006 and showed that there were 21,370.98
full-time equivalent staff in post in the national probation service. Updated figures covering Quarter 4 2006-07 (1 January 2007 to 31 March 2007) and Quarter 1 2007-08 (1 April 2007 to 30 June 2007) are currently being validated and will be published shortly in issue 13 of the Workforce Information Report.
On 30 September 2007 there were 48,714 full-time equivalent staff employed by the public sector Prison Service.
The full-time equivalent figure for staff employed by the National Offender Management Service as at 30 September 2007 was 1601.16.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) under 18-year-olds and (b) over 18-year-olds were convicted of illegally carrying (i) knives and (ii) other weapons in each year since 1997, broken down by police authority area; and if he will make a statement. [176295]
Mr. Straw: The number of persons convicted of illegally carrying (i) knives and (ii) other weapons in each year since 1997 by police force area is shown in the following tables.
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