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22 Jan 2008 : Column 1958W—continued
In addition to the aforementioned contracts, the Treasury utilises pan-Government Framework Agreements for consultancy services.
The current and forecast total value of each contract can be provided only at disproportionate cost and is commercially sensitive.
EC Trade
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of total goods exported from the UK were exported to the EU in each of the last 10 years; [180269]
(2) what percentage of total UK trade was with the EU in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [180270]
Jane Kennedy: Data relating to UK trade with both EU and non-EU countries is published in the Overseas Trade Statistics by HM Revenue and Customs, which is available in the Library of the House and via
EU External Trade: Israel
Richard Burden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since January 2007 HM Revenue and Customs intercepted goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank being imported to the UK claiming the preferences of the EU-Israeli Association Agreement; and what steps have been taken in consequence. [179256]
Jane Kennedy: Since January 2007, there have been 202 occasions where claims to preference for goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and imported into the United Kingdom have been rejected. These goods were confirmed as incorrectly claiming a preferential rate of duty under the EU/Israel Association Agreement. A demand for the full rate of import duty was sent to every importer concerned.
European Union Solidarity Fund
Mr. Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the UK has (a) contributed to and (b) received from the EU Solidarity Fund in each of the last 10 years. [180144]
Angela Eagle: The United Kingdom makes its contributions to the EC Budget as a whole and not to individual spending programmes or funds within it. Figures for the United Kingdom’s gross contribution, after taking account of the UK abatement, to the EC Budget in 2006 can be found in table 3 (page 47) of the European Community Finances White Paper (Cm 7090) published on 22 May 2007. This table also gives an estimate of this figure for 2007.
The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was established in November 2002. Last year the UK applied to the fund following the severe flooding experienced across the country in the summer. The application has been approved by the European Commission which has announced that it will propose that the UK be awarded a grant in the region of €160 million.
Immigrants: Russia
Mr. Hands:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the numbers of
Russian nationals living in (a) London and (b) the UK. [180311]
Jane Kennedy: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 22 January 2008:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question concerning how many and what percentage of people on the electoral registers in each London borough are (a) nationals of EU member states other than the UK and (b) not nationals of (i) the UK and (ii) the Republic of Ireland. (179019)
Data separately identifying British, Irish, or Commonwealth citizens are not collected centrally; these citizens are grouped together on local authority electoral returns. Therefore we are unable to produce data separately for British and Irish citizens.
The attached table provides the nearest available data to those you requested. It provides figures for 1 December 2006 for each London borough and the City of London, on the number and proportion of registered electors who qualify through EU citizenship, excluding British, Irish, Cypriot and Maltese citizens (Cypriot and Maltese citizens qualify as Commonwealth citizens). Also shown are equivalent data for those electors who qualify through British, Irish or Commonwealth citizenship.
Electoral counts for 1 December 2007 will be published on 28 February 2008.
Northern Rock
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provisions he has made for the accounting of (a) the loans advanced to Northern Rock and (b) the guarantees made for deposits held within Northern Rock within the national accounts; and if he will make a statement. [180032]
Angela Eagle: The loan from the Bank of England to Northern Rock will be shown as an asset of the bank and a liability of the company in the national accounts.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the letters the Chancellor sent to the chairs of the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury Select Committee on 11 October 2007, which the provisions of the Government’s guarantee arrangements explain and which are available in the House Library.
Revenue and Customs: Databases
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what personal data held by HM Revenue and Customs has been copied to compact disc for transfer to external agencies since 15 December 2007. [180247]
Jane Kennedy: Following the child benefit data loss incident HMRC have introduced more stringent controls which require that transfers of bulk data on removable media only take place where there is adequate security protection. The transfer of personal data only takes place when it is essential to do so due to a business critical need or in order to meet the Department’s legal obligations.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether data of individuals’ records held by HM Revenue and Customs has been transferred without encryption between HM Revenue and Customs and external agencies since 15 December 2007. [180434]
Jane Kennedy: Following the child benefit data loss incident, HMRC have introduced more stringent controls which require that transfers of customer data only take place with adequate security protection.
For more detail on the changes made, I refer the hon. Member to Kieran Poynter’s interim report that was published on 17 December 2007 and is available in the Library of the House.
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