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19 Jun 2008 : Column 1073W—continued

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 15 May 2008, Official Report, columns 1682-83W, on council tax: valuation, how many dwellings have changed band since the 2005 revaluation, in terms of moving (a) up a band or more and (b) down a band or more. [211832]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Pursuant to my answer of 15 May 2008, Official Report, columns 1682-83W, 1.55 per cent. of bandings were changed as a result of challenges during the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2007. All of these changes would have resulted in a property moving down one or more bands as where, on reassessment, no reduction in banding is found to be appropriate, the taxpayer is invited to withdraw their appeal.

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the banding amendments that have been made in Cardiff by the Valuation Office Agency subsequent to the 2005 council tax revaluation; and how many dwellings in Cardiff have seen their original bandings move to a higher band. [211925]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost at the moment
19 Jun 2008 : Column 1074W
but the Valuation Office Agency are currently developing the capability to provide this information and it will available in due course.

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what role the Welsh Assembly Government plays in the valuation of properties for council tax purposes; and how responsibilities are divided between the Valuation Office Agency, Welsh Assembly Government, his Department, the Department for Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury. [211926]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for local government in Wales and as such can request the revaluation of properties within the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. The Valuation Office Agency is responsible for compiling and maintaining council tax valuation lists for all homes in Wales.

No other Government body has any responsibility for the valuation of properties in Wales.

Olympic Games

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department plan to attend the Beijing Olympic Games; to what purpose in each case; and what estimate he has made of the cost. [212118]

Mr. Paul Murphy: No Ministers or officials from my Department are attending the Beijing Olympics.

Culture, Media and Sport

Alcoholic Drinks: Children

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 1 October 2007, Official Report, column 2352W, on alcoholic drinks: children, if he will break down the figures provided by region. [186358]

Mr. Coaker [holding answer 18 February 2008]: I have been asked to reply.

The figures for the number of cautions issued and the average fine issued for the offences of selling alcohol to persons under the age of 18, can be found in the following tables, which have been broken down by region.

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19 Jun 2008 : Column 1076W

Number of defendants issued with a caution for offences relating to the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years, by region, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006( 1, 2, 3)
Region	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
North East	17	5	14	7	2	4	0	3	3	8
North West	63	18	12	8	20	33	27	42	34	27
Yorkshire and Humberside	25	7	7	8	1	—	18	21	27	7
East Midlands	7	8	15	16	5	2	3	7	2	0
West Midlands	6	5	3	3	12	2	3	7	11	3
East of England	23	6	7	0	1	11	9	5	0	2
London	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
South East	19	9	6	3	4	0	0	3	2	3
South West	4	14	0	0	0	4	2	11	12	8
Wales	6	4	5	8	3	3	1	2	7	0
England and Wales	171	76	69	53	48	59	63	101	98	58
(1) Data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Includes the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions : Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec 3) para 4(1). Licensing Act 1964 Sec 169(1). Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc. intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises. Licensing Act 2003 S.146 Sale of alcohol to person under 18. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Court proceedings data held by CJEA - Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Ministry of Justice.

Average fine levied for offences of selling alcohol to persons under 18, by region, all courts, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006, England and Wales
Average fine amount (£)
Offences	Region	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Selling etc. intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises; Sale of alcohol to person under 18	North East	321	237	164	110	118	250	259	221	204	443
	North West	129	233	254	256	244	201	209	220	212	252
	Yorkshire and Humberside	129	120	193	217	244	221	100	226	183	213
	East Midlands	150	-	225	375	300	404	247	259	262	283
	West Midlands	351	228	185	108	160	240	253	209	209	340
	East of England	172	168	186	370	125	400	306	169	302	332
	London	210	280	180	200	200	350	306	288	284	312
	South East	314	317	175	250	250	183	306	281	361	282
	South West	150	167	220	450	250	330	323	272	207	353
	Wales	186	181	229	267	100	250	211	192	243	335
	Total	227	212	194	206	208	249	253	237	246	305
Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected are subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Source: OMS, Analytical Services

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