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3 Mar 2008 : Column 2188W—continued
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the environmental consequences of levying vehicle excise duty based on a sliding scale of emissions. [190561]
Angela Eagle: In taking taxation decisions as part of the Budget process the Government assess a range of options, bringing all relevant environmental, social and economic factors into consideration.
The environmental signals provided by vehicle excise duty will help deliver reductions in CO2 emissions. For example, the number of vehicles in the three lowest CO2 emission graduated VED bands is forecast to grow significantly in the longer term in part due to VED reform.
National Insurance Fund
Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received advice from the Acting Government Actuary on the recommended minimum balance in the National Insurance Fund. [190048]
Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 361W.
Northern Rock
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is due to be paid to the Virgin consortium from the public purse in relation to Northern Rock; and if he will make a statement. [188251]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 25 February 2008]: As announced by Northern Rock on 26 November 2007, the company agreed to cover certain expenses in connection with the indicative proposal from the Virgin consortium. Paying such expenses is standard as part of bidding processes of this nature.
As a commercial bank, Northern Rock will pay these expenses out of its own income, not from the taxpayer.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the quality rating of Northern Rock mortgage security is (a) within Northern Rock and not otherwise committed, (b) within Northern Rock and committed to the Bank of England and (c) committed to the Granite Master Trust. [188958]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 25 February 2008]: The Financial Services Authority has confirmed Northern Rock continues to be solvent and has a good quality mortgage book.
Further information on the size and nature of the contractual relationship between Northern Rock and Granite is publicly available in the full Granite prospectus on the Northern Rock website.
Northern Rock: Government Assistance
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of loans advanced to Northern Rock on the Government’s (a) public sector borrowing requirement and (b) sustainable debt rule; and if he will make a statement. [179899]
Yvette Cooper: Northern Rock liabilities classified to the public sector are temporary, backed by significant assets, and do not represent any meaningful measure of fiscal sustainability. The code for fiscal stability, underpinned by legislation passed by this House, provides for such situations.
Northern Rock: Granite
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size is of the minimum seller share that Northern Rock is required to maintain in the Granite Master Trust. [188960]
Ms Abbott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will clarify the legal, institutional and financial relationships between Northern Rock and Granite; and if he will make a statement. [188615]
Angela Eagle: This information is publicly available in the full Granite prospectus on the Northern Rock website.
The prospectus sets out the contractual agreement between Northern Rock and the Granite securitisation vehicle.
Banks and building societies often use securitisation vehicles as a means of financing.
A copy of a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 20 February clarifying the relationship between Northern Rock and Granite has been placed in the House Library.
“Now Let’s Talk Money”
Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2008, Official Report, column 1020W, on ‘Now Let's Talk Money’, what funding his Department plans to provide to the campaign in each year from 2008-09 onwards. [190205]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 28 February 2008]: The Government have announced that the continuing 'Now Let's Talk Money' campaign will be delivered through the new "Financial inclusion champions" initiative in 2008-11. The Government have allocated £12 million to the Department for Work and Pensions to deliver the "Financial inclusion champions" initiative in 2008-11. This funding will be profiled as £4 million in 2008-09, £4 million in 2009-10 and £4 million in 2010-11.
Pensions
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider bringing the proposed link with earnings for pensions forward in preparing for his forthcoming Budget. [190667]
Angela Eagle: The Government have already set out their commitment to link the basic state pension to earnings in the next Parliament. A decision to bring forward that link would require additional spending on state pensions over and above the reform package set out in the May 2006 White Paper and agreed in the Pensions Act 2007.
Personal Savings
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response his Department has made to the conclusion of the 2002 Sandler Review that the use of money from the inherited estate of with-profit funds to write new business distorts competition; and if he will make a statement. [190135]
Angela Eagle:
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is responsible for the regulation of life insurance and the inherited estate. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the FSA to have regard to seven principles of good regulation including the
desirability of facilitating competition between those it regulates and the need to minimise the adverse effects on competition that may arise from anything done in the discharge of its functions. The FSA made major changes to the way it regulates after its With Profits Review but, following consultation, it found that Sandler's specific recommendations in this area were not practical because of possible incompatibility with EU law and the potential impact on the mutuals sector.
The issue is covered in the FSA's Discussion paper on issues for with-profits business arising from the Sandier Review.(1)
(1) Available at:
The Treasury responded to the recommendations of the Sandier review by launching the stakeholder suite, a range of simple, accessible and charge-capped savings products.
Population
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the population density of (a) Bridgend, (b) Wales, (c) England and (d) the UK was in each year since 1995; [191158]
(2) what forecasts he has made of population density in Bridgend in (a) 2031 and (b) 2056 based on statistics from the (i) Government Actuary Department and (ii) the Office of National Statistics. [191168]
Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 3 March 2008:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your questions concerning population density:
To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the population density of (a) Bridgend, (b) Wales, (c) England and (d) the UK was in each year since 1995 (191158)
To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, what forecasts he has made of population density in Bridgend in (a) 2031 and (b) 2056 based on statistics from the (i) Government Actuaries Department and (ii) the office for National Statistics.
I am replying in her absence.
The table below shows population density figures calculated for each mid-year estimate from 1995 to 2006 for the areas requested. Mid-2006 are the latest population density estimates available.
Subnational population projections within Wales are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government. They advise that Population projections are not currently published at local authority level for Wales. Projections are available at regional level. The Welsh Assembly Government plan to publish population projections at local authority level in summer 2008.
| Population density for mid-year estimates 1995 to 2006 | ||||||||||||
| Persons per square kilometre | ||||||||||||
| Area | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Sources: Office for National Statistics General Register Office for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency | ||||||||||||
Public Sector Net Cash Requirement
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate Government borrowing since 1997 when calculated in line with the latest international financial reporting standards on the recording of private public partnership liabilities. [190038]
Angela Eagle: Public sector net borrowing (PSNB) is assessed using National Accounts data compiled by the independent Office for National Statistics. The Government announced at Budget 2007 to move to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the annual resource accounts of public bodies from 2008-09. It is too early to say what implications the IFRS based accounting guidance for public private partnerships might have for PSNB.
Revenue and Customs: Pay
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs employees were paid (a) over £60,000 and (b) over £100,000 per annum, inclusive of bonuses, in the most recent financial year for which figures are available. [173103]
Jane Kennedy: Following the merger of the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise in April 2005, three payroll systems were in operation during the 2006-07 financial year.
To obtain the requested information from both the archived and current payroll systems would be disproportionate and resource intensive.
HMRC’s headcount was 92,238 at 1 November 2007. Information provided has been based on number of staff who, were paid at the annual rate of (a) £60,000 to £99,999 and (b) £100,000 and over on this date.
| Number of staff | |
Tax Credits Office: Manpower
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in his Department’s Tax Credits Office. [190019]
Jane Kennedy: At 1 February 2008 around 4,500 HM Revenue and Customs staff members were employed in Tax Credit Office (TCO). This figure includes part time staff and is equivalent to around 3,950 full time staff.
Taxation: Bingo
David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect on revenue from amusement machine licence duty of bingo club closures in the last 12 months. [191237]
Angela Eagle:
An updated forecast of total betting and gaming duties, which includes amusement machine
licence duty receipts, will be published in the “Financial Statement and Budget Report”.
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors were considered when setting the current rate of gross profit tax for licensed bingo; and if he will make a statement. [191350]
Angela Eagle: The Government consider all relevant factors when establishing and maintaining fair regimes for the gambling taxes. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review and decisions about gambling taxation are made each year at Budget alongside all other tax decisions.
Mr. Marshall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice his Department has received on the similarities between the taxation of bingo played in licensed clubs and the tax treatment of player-to-player poker in casinos. [190728]
Angela Eagle: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals 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 representations.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the fairness of the tax regime applying to bingo as compared with that which applies to other forms of gambling. [190830]
Angela Eagle: The average effective rate of taxation applied to bingo is comparable to the average effective rate of taxation that applies to other forms of gambling such as casino gaming, gaming machines and the lottery.
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