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28 Feb 2008 : Column 1934W—continued
Treasury
Alcoholic Drinks: Prices
Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the retail price would be of (a) a bottle of wine, (b) a bottle of whisky and (c) a pint of lager if real prices had been maintained since 1960. [189054]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 28 February 2008:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the price would be in shops in 2008 of a) a bottle of wine, b) a bottle of whisky and c) a pint of lager if real prices had been maintained since 1960. I am replying in her absence. (189054)
The average shop price for bottled beer, measured by pint, in 1960 was 9.3 pence. If its price had increased in line with the total Retail Prices Index (RPI) it would have cost 156.8 pence in January 2008.
Information is not available for the change in the price of a bottle of wine, a bottle of whisky or a bottle of lager since 1960. A retail price index covering all alcoholic beverages is available from 1962. Between January 1962 and January 2008 the price of alcoholic beverages rose by 1510 per cent, compared with an increase of 1489 per cent in the total RPI over the same period.
Bingo
Mr. Betts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on (a) employment and (b) Exchequer revenues of (i) recent and (ii) planned closures of bingo clubs. [189738]
Angela Eagle: The state of the bingo industry is incorporated into the forecast of total gambling receipts, which includes bingo duty receipts, and will be published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report.
Capital Gains Tax
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the introduction of a single rate of capital gains tax on (a) mutual funds and (b) insurance bonds before 9 October 2007. [190165]
Jane Kennedy: The Government take a range of factors into consideration when formulating tax policy, and keeps all aspects of policy under review.
Customs Officers: Northern Ireland
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs personnel were on duty at (a) Belfast International, (b) Belfast City and (c) Londonderry airport on a routine basis during 2007. [190080]
Jane Kennedy: HMRC does not release the numbers of front line Customs staff that it deploys at a local level as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent HM Revenue and Customs' controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of crime.
Departmental Data Protection
James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the review of data handling procedures by Kieran Poynter of PricewaterhouseCoopers will include an examination of potential data breaches connected with third parties hacking into computer systems of HM Revenue and Customs and other Government Departments and agencies. [190337]
Jane Kennedy: Kieran Poynter was asked by the Chancellor to conduct an independent review of HMRC’s data handling, the full terms of reference of which have already been made available on the HM Treasury website at:
and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
An interim report was published on 17 December 2007 and the final report is expected during the first half of 2008.
Departmental Homeworking
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in his Department have been authorised to work from home in the last 12 months. [189772]
Angela Eagle: Home working is approved locally by individual managers and records are not kept centrally.
Departmental Marketing
Mr. Hoban:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2008, Official Report, column 828W, on departmental marketing,
what the cost to his Department of Government and departmental branded products was in each of the last five years. [189377]
Angela Eagle: The information requested is not readily available and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Entrust
Martin Horwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value of the assets of ENTRUST is; and to whom these assets would revert in the event of ENTRUST ceasing to trade. [189911]
Angela Eagle: From ENTRUST’s annual accounts for the year ending 31 March 2007, the total value of assets, after liabilities, was £2,351,429. In the event of ENTRUST ceasing to trade any remaining assets after creditors were paid would pass to a successor regulatory or charitable body.
Fairtrade Initiative
Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to promote Fair Trade Fortnight 2008 amongst staff within his Department; and if he will make a statement. [189502]
Angela Eagle: Catering products provided via the Treasury restaurant facilities in 1 Horse Guards Road and 100 Parliament Street are supplied by the catering sub-contractor employed by the PFI provider. The catering contractor currently provides Fairtrade products such as teas, coffees, snacks and confectionery through the catering facilities throughout the building; Fairtrade teas and coffees are served at all official meetings.
For Fairtrade Fortnight, the catering contractor has placed posters within the restaurant facilities, highlighting the Fairtrade products available.
Fuels: Prices
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of (a) rising fuel costs and (b) fuel duty on the holiday industry in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [189871]
Angela Eagle: Decisions on fuel duty are taken as part of the Budget process, alongside other taxation issues. When taking these decisions, the Chancellor considers a range of factors. This includes the environmental, social and economic impact of any changes, including the impact on UK industries, such as the holiday industry.
Industry: Motor Vehicles
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the contribution to the economy made by the motor manufacturing industry. [189985]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 28 February 2008:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what recent assessment he has made of the contributions to the economy made by the motor manufacturing industry. I am replying in her absence. (189985)
The motor manufacturing industry contributed 0.4 per cent of the UK's total gross value added in 2003, based on the latest estimates from ONS's national accounts. In addition, the table below shows the latest estimates of growth in the volume of economic activity of the motor manufacturing industry since 1980, based on ONS's monthly Index of Production (IoP).
| Annual growth in the volume( 1) of output of the UK motor manufacturing industry( 2) | |
| Period: | Percentage change on the previous year |
| (1) Chained volume measure of output. (2) Based on class 34.1 of the UK's Standard Industrial Classification: Manufacture of motor vehicles Source: ONS Index of Production | |
Pensioners: Stockton on Tees
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many pensioners there were in Stockton South constituency in the most recent period for which figures are available; [189329]
(2) how many pensioners in Stockton South constituency were aged over 75 years in the most recent period for which figures are available. [189332]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 28 February 2008:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your questions concerning the total number of pensioners and the number of pensioners who are aged over 75 in Stockton South constituency in the most recent period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (189329, 189332).
The latest population estimates for Parliamentary Constituencies are for mid-2005. The number of pensioners has been calculated as the total of all persons of pensionable age—males aged 65 and over and females aged 60 and over. This estimate is 16,500. The estimate for pensioners aged over 75 is 5,600. These estimates are rounded to the nearest 100.
Private Finance Initiative: Insurance
Chris Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much funding for (a) private finance initiatives and (b) public private partnerships has been underwritten by (i) monoline insurers and (ii) monoline insurers that have recently been downgraded. [190300]
Angela Eagle: The Treasury does not hold a record of the amount of funding for private finance initiatives and public private partnerships that is underwritten by monoline insurers. The ability of private finance initiatives or public private partnerships to fulfil their contractual obligations to the public sector is unaffected by any downgrading of monoline insurers.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the consequences of a monoline insurance failure or downgrading for the ability of (a) private finance initiatives and (b) public private partnerships to fulfil their contractual obligations to the Government. [190303]
Angela Eagle: The ability of private finance initiatives or public private partnerships to fulfil their contractual obligations to the public sector is unaffected by any downgrading of monoline insurers.
Revenue and Customs: Correspondence
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the number of letters received by HM Revenue and Customs whose processing has not yet been concluded. [187596]
Jane Kennedy: In the last 12 months around 26 million items of correspondence have been received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). HMRC estimates that there were approximately 800,000 items of post (letters and forms) due to be processed as at end of January 2008. This represents around 3 per cent. of all correspondence received.
Revenue and Customs: Data Protection
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2008, Official Report, columns 675-6W, on Revenue and Customs: data protection, how many data guardians have been appointed; and how many of these were appointed from (a) within existing HM Revenue and Customs staff, (b) within existing HM Treasury staff and (c) elsewhere. [189372]
Jane Kennedy: A data guardian role has also been created in each HMRC business unit to monitor data handling and transfer arrangements in all of HMRC’s business areas. Guidance was provided on the competencies, experience and knowledge that the role would require. 37 data guardians have been appointed.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2008, Official Report, columns 675-6W, on Revenue and Customs: data protection, what training has been given to the new data guardians; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such training. [189373]
Jane Kennedy: Support for the HMRC data guardians has included awareness events, written material and access to additional support and guidance of departmental security specialists. The Department continues to assess any on-going training requirements which are funded from within the Department’s budget.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2008, Official Report, column 675W, on Revenue and Customs: data protection, which officials in HM Revenue and Customs were designated as responsible for data protection before 23 November 2007. [189374]
Jane Kennedy: As principal accounting officer, the HMRC chairman was responsible for the Department’s data protection arrangements.
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