| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
25 Feb 2008 : Column 1239W—continued
Minimum Wage
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies in each of the last five years were found to be paying their staff below the minimum wage; and what action was taken in each case. [187416]
Jane Kennedy: In the great majority of cases where minimum wage arrears are identified the employer pays any minimum wage arrears without the need for any formal enforcement action. Where arrears are not paid, an Enforcement Notice will be issued setting out the arrears that are considered to be due. An employer will then have 28 days to lodge an appeal and subsequently have his case heard before an Employment Tribunal. If the appeal is not upheld or the Enforcement Notice is not appealed against, the arrears become due.
Details of the number of employers found not to be paying their staff the minimum wage in each of the last five years can be found in the table.
| Cases of non compliance | |
In line with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) requirements, each complaint about possible non-payment of NMW is recorded as a case. In a small number of instances, where exceptionally the same employer is the subject of more than one complaint, the same employer will feature in more than one case. The number of cases does not therefore equate exactly with the number of employers for whom arrears have been identified.
Northern Rock
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been lent to Northern Rock by the Bank of England and the Treasury. [171171]
Angela Eagle: This is a commercial matter between the Bank of England and Northern Rock.
Revenue and Customs: Buildings
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fees were paid to private contractors for the operation and maintenance of buildings occupied by HM Revenue and Customs in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. [187593]
Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs paid £295 million to PFI contractors in the financial year 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007. This included the cost of provision of over 700 properties under PFI contracts as well as their operation and maintenance.
Revenue and Customs: Correspondence
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by HM Revenue and Customs to deal with correspondence from the public. [187597]
Jane Kennedy: This information is not available in the format requested and could be collated and provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time taken by HM Revenue and Customs staff to reply to correspondence from the public was in the last year for which figures are available. [187602]
Jane Kennedy: The information is not available in the format requested and could be collated and provided only at disproportionate cost.
Share Option Scheme
Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the value of share options issued by UK-listed companies has been in each of the last five years; [188491]
(2) what the revenues raised from taxation on share options have been in each of the last five years. [188492]
Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available. Estimates of the value of share options issued by UK-listed companies can be produced only at disproportionate cost. Tax revenues from share options cannot be distinguished from tax revenues from other sources of income and gains.
Tax Allowances: Voluntary Work
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase the 40 pence per mile tax ceiling for volunteer car drivers. [188327]
Angela Eagle: As I explained on 12 November 2007 in my reply to the Member’s earlier question on this subject, there is no upper ceiling on mileage payments for volunteer car drivers.
Tax Yields
Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue has been raised from taxation of executive bonuses in each of the last five years. [188493]
Jane Kennedy: The information is not available as payments in respect of executive bonuses are not reported separately.
Unemployed: Nottingham
Mr. Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unemployed people there were in Nottingham North constituency in (a) 1997 and (b) 2007. [187301]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 February 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question, how many unemployed people there were in Nottingham North in (a) 1997 and (b) 2007. (187301)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics from the Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
Table 1, attached, show the number of people unemployed, resident in the Nottingham North Parliamentary Constituency for the twelve months ending in February 1998 and June 2007.
This estimate is for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, and is based on small sample sizes, and is therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). Table 2, attached, show the number of people, resident in the Nottingham North Parliamentary Constituency claiming in December 1997 and December 2007.
| Table 1: Unemployed, resident in Nottingham North parliamentary constituency | |
| Thousand | |
| 12 months ending: | Level |
| Source: (1) Annual Labour Force Survey. (2) Annual Population Survey. | |
| Table 2: Number of claimants of jobseeker’s allowance of working age population for residents of Nottingham North parliamentary constituency | |
| Number of claimants | |
VAT: Vocational Training
Mr. Horam: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend VAT exemption to commercial training and skills bodies; and if he will make a statement. [188360]
Jane Kennedy: VAT is not chargeable on education and vocational training provided by non-profit making bodies, local authorities, schools, further education colleges and universities; and certain supplies of private tuition. VAT is also not chargeable on the provision of certain Government approved vocational training by commercial organisations.
While VAT exemption has never extended to all supplies made by all commercial training and skills bodies, the Government will keep the VAT position under careful review alongside the requirements of the European VAT agreements signed by successive Governments, and our broader employment and skills objectives, most recently set out in ‘Ready to Work, Skilled for Work: Unlocking Britain’s Talent’.
Home Department
Alcohol-Induced Crime
11. Mr. Mackay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of measures to combat alcohol-induced crime. [188124]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office and DCMS will publish our report of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 shortly.
An interim report, published last July, showed that serious violent crime over a whole night fell by five per cent. and that there was a shift in the time that disorder peaked.
We are encouraging local authorities and the police to take decisive action to fine premises or remove licences where there is trouble and we have given the police a range of tools and powers to clamp down on licensees and individuals who abuse the laws.
Identity Fraud
12. Ms Angela C. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her latest estimate is of the annual costs resulting from crimes associated with identity fraud. [188125]
Meg Hillier: In February 2006 we estimated that the cost of identity fraud to the UK economy was £1.7 billion. We are currently engaged in calculating a new estimate based on a new methodology and hope to make an announcement soon.
Identity Cards
13. Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria the Government will use to determine whether an identity card is to be required in order for a public service to be provided. [188126]
Meg Hillier: Identity cards will provide the most reliable and convenient method of proving identity and will help in the more efficient delivery of public services.
However, there are no plans at this stage to make the delivery of particular public services dependent on the production of an identity card.
Post-Charge Detention
14. Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she has issued on the questioning of those detained after being charged; and if she will make a statement. [188127]
Mr. McNulty: Guidance on questioning after charge is contained in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Codes of Practice C and H.
Currently, questioning after charge only applies in limited circumstances; where it is necessary to clarify earlier statements, where public safety is at risk, where new evidence comes to light or for intelligence purposes.
The Counter-Terrorism Bill, currently before this House, contains provisions which seek to strengthen questioning after charge in respect of terrorism offences. We are also considering, as part of the Review of PACE currently under way, whether such provisions should be extended to other cases.
Alcohol-Related Crime
15. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government has taken to prevent alcohol-related street crime in the last 12 months. [188128]
Mr. Coaker: The June 2007 National Alcohol Strategy reinforced the Government’s commitment to preventing and reducing alcohol-related crime. As part of this, we have focused on ensuring that enforcement agencies are equipped with the legislative tools to tackle these crimes, and that these powers are robust and proportionate.
In the past year, work has been undertaken on a national basis to raise awareness of these powers among police and trading standards, including the publication of national guidance for police and partnerships on dealing with alcohol-related violence, supported by a DVD, and also through a series of national enforcement campaigns to ensure that alcohol is sold sensibly and responsibly.
Immigration: Economic Effects
16. Mr. Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research she has commissioned and evaluated on the effects of immigration on the economy. [188130]
Mr. Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the October submission by the Home Office and the Department for Work and Pensions to the House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs.
That report provides an overview of recent evidence on the economic impact of immigration, and estimates that in 2006, new migration added about £6 billion to economic growth.
Gun Crime
17. David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of measures to reduce levels of gun crime. [188131]
Mr. Coaker: We have made significant progress in efforts to reduce gun crime since 1997. We have increased enforcement operations, introduced tougher legislation and given more powers to the police and courts to deal with offenders. We are also empowering communities to take local action against guns and criminal gangs.
Stop and Search
18. Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response she has made to the recommendations of the Flanagan Report on the recording of stop and account and stop and search incidents by police officers. [188132]
Mr. McNulty: The Home Secretary’s oral statement of 7 February 2008, Official Report, column 1140W, welcomed the Flanagan Review proposals and announced that instead of issuing a form we would pilot providing the person stopped with a card, with the encounter being recorded using Airwave police radio technology.
In her statement the Home Secretary also supported Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s view that it is right to retain existing recording requirements for stop and searches but called on chief officers to streamline stop and search forms and processes as Sir Ronnie Flanagan advocates.
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
19. John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of antisocial behaviour orders. [188133]
Mr. Coaker: Three independent reports have confirmed our approach to tackling antisocial behaviour is working. Also, we have appointed IPSOS Mori to undertake a qualitative study investigating the circumstances in which different antisocial behaviour interventions are most effective. Antisocial behaviour orders are just one of these. The outcome is to be published in 2008.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |