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6 Jun 2008 : Column 1224W—continued
Rolling Stock: Costs
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost of Pendolino trains per carriage was in 2000; and what expected cost per carriage was used in the high level output statement for planned purchases of Pendolino trains. [208358]
Mr. Tom Harris [holding answer 4 June 2008]: Costs in relation to high level output statement schemes are commercially sensitive pending ongoing negotiations. Costs dating back to 2000 were a matter for the franchisee and leasing company. The Department was not directly involved on this transaction.
Rolling Stock: Procurement
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the first new inter-city express programme carriages to be (a) ordered, (b) delivered and (c) brought into service. [208283]
Mr. Tom Harris: The initial order for IEP trains is expected to be placed in summer 2009. The first pre-series trains are scheduled to be tested on the East Coast Main Line in 2013, with the first fleet deployed into passenger service from 2015.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether 1,300 new carriages are still expected to be produced under the high level output statement; and whether any of those carriages will be cascaded from other operators. [209232]
Mr. Tom Harris: The position is that set out in the Rolling Stock plan, issued on 30 January 2008 and available on the Department's website at
which noted that accommodating the HLOS demand was likely to require around 1,300 additional carriages for English franchises by 2014.
The additional capacity will be secured through the procurement of new rolling stock; the procurement of the 1,300 carriages will result in a cascade of existing vehicles which are displaced by new. The 1,300 carriages will be a net addition to the existing fleet.
Thameslink: Rolling Stock
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the announced new Thameslink carriages have been ordered. [208317]
Mr. Tom Harris: On 9 April 2008 the Secretary of State announced the start of a procurement exercise for the provision of between 900 and 1,300 new carriages for use on the Thameslink programme. It is currently expected that the formal contract to order these new carriages will be signed in summer 2009 with the first new carriages being introduced in to service in early 2012.
Treasury
Belize Bank
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the government of Belize concerning the activities of the Belize Bank in the UK. [209225]
Kitty Ussher: No representations have been made by the Government of Belize concerning the activities of the Belize Bank in the UK to HM Treasury or the Financial Services Authority.
Debts
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average (a) gross debt and (b) gross savings (excluding debt secured on housing) was by (i) 20, (ii) 25, (iii) 30, (iv) 35, (v) 40, (vi) 45, (vii) 50, (viii) 55, (ix) 60, (x) 65 and (xi) over 65 years olds in (A) 1980, (B) 1985, (C) 1990, (D) 1995, (E) 2000, (F) 2005 and (G) 2007, broken down by sex. [208789]
Angela Eagle: Data on gross debt and gross savings are published by the Office for National Statistics on a quarterly and annual basis. However, these data are not disaggregated by age.
Departmental Data Protection
Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times his Department was held in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [208491]
Angela Eagle: The Treasury has had no data protection breaches.
Departmental Equality
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department met the Civil Service diversity targets set out on page 51 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report 2007 by April 2008. [204709]
Angela Eagle: The latest published statistics against overall civil service targets were at October 2007, and are available on the civil service website at:
The final measurement against the targets will be published in autumn 2008.
The latest published statistics on the Treasury's progress against the targets, as at October 2007, are available on the Treasury's external website at:
Departmental Manpower
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of his Department’s employees are (a) male, (b) female, (c) from an ethnic minority, (d) disabled and (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement. [208402]
Angela Eagle: The figures in the following table are consistent with the data for 30 September 2007 published on the HM Treasury website. A further break down and analysis of the figures can be found on the website:
| Figures as at 30 September 2007 | ||
| Total number | Percentage | |
With regard to (e), the Treasury extended its diversity monitoring processes in September 2007, to collect data on employees who are not heterosexual. It expects to have robust data on what proportion of employees are not heterosexual by April 2009.
Departmental Pay
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of employees in his Department who received a performance-related bonus at their last appraisal were (a) male, (b) female, (c) from an ethnic minority, (d) disabled and (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement. [208371]
Angela Eagle: The information provided is for the performance year 2006-07.
| Below SCS | Number who received performance bonus | Percentage who received performance bonus |
| SCS | Number who received performance bonus | Percentage who received performance bonus |
Ethnic minority and disability for SCS is not reported for performance statistics as the numbers are too small to be meaningful.
The Treasury extended its diversity monitoring processes, in September 2007, to collect data on employees who are not heterosexual and expects to have data, by July 2009, on what proportion of employees who received a performance-related bonus at their last appraisal were not heterosexual.
Departmental Public Participation
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on (a) written consultations, (b) consultation roadshows and (c) stakeholder focus groups in each of the last three years. [205836]
Angela Eagle: I refer to the answer I gave on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 917W to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr. Herbert).
Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings were held between Ministers and officials with third-party interest groups on the subject of changes to the system of vehicle excise duty prior to the 2008 Budget. [208845]
Angela Eagle: Prior to Budget 2008, vehicle excise duty was discussed at many meetings between Ministers and officials, and relevant stakeholders.
The Chancellor considered carefully all representations when forming his Budget decision on vehicle excise duty rates.
Housing: Finance
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average (a) housing wealth and (b) debt secured on housing was by owner-occupiers aged (i) 20, (ii) 25, (iii) 30, (iv) 35, (v) 40, (vi) 45, (vii) 50, (viii) 55, (ix) 60, (x) 65 and (xi) over 65 years old in (A) 1980, (B) 1985, (C) 1990, (D) 1995, (E) 2000, (F) 2005 and (G) 2007. [208788]
Angela Eagle: Data on housing wealth and debt secured on housing are published by the Office for National Statistics on a quarterly and annual basis. However, these data are not disaggregated by age and gender.
Inheritance Tax
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions a transfer of estate from a deceased to a surviving spouse incurring nil inheritance tax occurred in each of the last 10 years; and what the average length of the preceding marriage was in each year. [209233]
Jane Kennedy: The table shows the estimated number of estates above the inheritance tax threshold in force at the time where a transfer of some or all of the estate was free of tax as a result of spouse relief:
| Year of death | Estates |
Information on transfers to spouses from estates below the threshold and lengths of marriages is not available.
Mortgages
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of recent trends in the mortgage and re-mortgaging market and their effects on the housing market and the wider economy. [209308]
Angela Eagle: The Government last published its assessment of economic prospects in Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC388) 2008, on 12 March, based on all relevant factors. The Government are taking steps to ensure that the effects of the global financial disruption are minimised, and borrowers are treated fairly during this period.
Northern Rock
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total loan to Northern Rock from the Treasury, replacing Bank of England loan, was in 2007-08; what total repayments were made in 2007-08; what the net loans were in 2007-08; and what the range of loan interest rates applying to such loans are. [206708]
Kitty Ussher: As reported in Northern Rock's audited accounts for 2007 published on 31 March 2008 and its latest trading statement of 12 May 2008, the outstanding loan due to the Bank of England has been reduced from £26.9 billion as of 31 December 2007 to £24.1 billion at 31 March 2008.
As set out in Budget 2008, the Government will, during 2008-09, replace the Bank of England's loan to Northern Rock with direct Treasury funding.
The Bank of England provides the loan at an interest rate premium, ensuring that the company does not receive a commercial advantage.
Sports: Finance
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the findings and recommendations of the cross-Government Physical Activity Review have been finalised; and if he will publish them. [208220]
Yvette Cooper: In the context of the Government's commitments to deliver on the Comprehensive Spending Review, Olympics and Olympic Legacy, and provide a world-class community sports infrastructure, a number of government departments are considering the most efficient and effective way of maximising the impact of investment in sport and physical activity. Findings of this work will be integrated into a number of forthcoming announcements.
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