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21 Jan 2008 : Column 1568W—continued


Pay: Public Sector

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the evidential basis is for a restriction of public sector pay increases to 2 per cent. or less to contribute to an inflation rate below 2 per cent. [177206]

Andy Burnham: The Government are committed to continuing to support public sector workers in their efforts to deliver the best possible public services. Over the last 10 years, the Government have therefore sought to increase the number of frontline workers as well as their pay. In particular, the period January 2000 to January 2006 saw an increase of 29.4 per cent. in public sector average earnings, which compares to 23.8 per cent. in the private sector over the same period.

The Government’s objectives for public sector pay settlements are that they should be consistent with maintaining the necessary levels of recruitment, retention and staff engagement needed to support service delivery; ensuring that total pay bills represent value for money and are affordable within Departments’ overall expenditure plans; and consistent with the Government’s achievement of the inflation target of 2 per cent.


21 Jan 2008 : Column 1569W

Wage pressures are one of the factors considered by the monetary policy committee of the Bank of England when setting interest rates to meet the inflation target.

Pensioners: Inflation

Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2007, Official Report, column 605W, on Pensioners: Inflation, what the components are of the retail price index basket of goods and services; and how they are weighted. [180287]

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 21 January 2008:

Personal Income: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average household income was in each London borough in each year since 1997. [179726]

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.


21 Jan 2008 : Column 1570W

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 21 January 2008:


21 Jan 2008 : Column 1571W
Average weekly household income( 1,2) —London boroughs, 2004-05
£ (per week)
Net weekly equivalised( 3) household income
Before housing costs( 4) After housing costs( 4)

Barking and Dagenham

430

340

Barnet

600

530

Bexley

510

450

Brent

490

410

Bromley

600

540

Camden

630

530

City of London

880

830

Croydon

540

470

Ealing

560

480

Enfield

520

460

Greenwich

500

410

Hackney

450

360

Hammersmith and Fulham

660

560

Haringey

530

430

Harrow

560

490

Havering

510

460

Hillingdon

540

480

Hounslow

550

460

Islington

550

450

Kensington and Chelsea

780

670

Kingston upon Thames

640

580

Lambeth

550

440

Lewisham

510

420

Merton

630

550

Newham

390

300

Redbridge

520

460

Richmond upon Thames

760

690

Southwark

510

410

Sutton

570

510

Tower Hamlets

440

350

Waltham Forest

490

400

Wandsworth

680

580

Westminster

700

590

UK

430

370

(1) Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
(2) Based on a population weighted average of medium layer super output areas.
(3) Equivalised incomes are adjusted for different household sizes and compositions. An equivalised income indicates a standard of living that could be achieved by a two adult household with no children, with that actual income.
(4) Housing costs include rent (gross of housing benefit), water charges, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance and ground rent and service charges.
Source:
ONS, Department for Work and Pensions

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes to its administrative procedures on transfer of confidential data HM Revenue and Customs has instituted since the beginning of November 2007. [179639]

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to Kieran Poynter's interim report which was published on 17 December 2007 and is available in the Library of the House.

Kieran Poynter will consider the need for any further procedural changes in his final report which is expected in the first half of 2008.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requirements a home must have to be eligible for zero stamp duty land tax. [180155]

Angela Eagle: The requirements for a home to qualify for the stamp duty land tax zero-carbon homes relief are set out in The Stamp Duty Land Tax (Zero-Carbon Homes Relief) Regulations 2007. These regulations were made on 6 December 2007 and came into force on 7 December 2007 but the tax relief applies to acquisitions of qualifying properties on or after 1 October 2007. The following is a link to the regulations:


21 Jan 2008 : Column 1572W

Taxation: Car Allowances

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to increase the 40p per mile tax free allowance which employees using their own cars may claim if undertaking legitimate business activities. [180504]

Angela Eagle: The Government stated in the pre-Budget report that an announcement on the taxation of cars used for business travel—including mileage payments—would be made at Budget 2008.

Trade Unions

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has had with trade unions officials since 1 July 2007; on what dates; and with which trade unions. [179869]

Angela Eagle: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, Treasury Ministers’ diaries are available on the Treasury website:


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