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7 July 2008 : Column 1259W—continued
My officials corresponded with the CPAA during 2007 and 2008, explaining the policy approach taken on supervisory arrangements and the appointment of supervisors. Although the CPAA is not a supervisor for the purposes of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007, they are able, if they so wish, to work with the relevant supervisors to assist their members’ compliance with the regulations.
National Debt: National Lottery
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt (a) received from and (b) returned to the National Lottery Distribution Fund in each year since 1997. [216524]
Angela Eagle: I understand the question to relate to (a) the annual total of lottery operator-related income advanced to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt (CRND) by the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF), and (b) total annual drawdowns from the investment account made by distributing bodies.
The figures (in £ millions) set out in the following table are from 2000-01; for figures dating back before this period please contact Department for Culture, Media and Sport directly.
| National Lottery Distribution Fund | ||
| £ million | ||
| Received from | Drawdown by | |
National Minimum Wage
Ms Buck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the savings in working tax credit of an increase in the adult rate of the national minimum wage of (a) 30 pence, (b) 50 pence, (c) £1, (d) £1.50 and (e) £2.00; [215585]
(2) what estimate he has made of the (a) gross, (b) net costs and (c) savings to his Department of an increase in the adult rate of the national minimum wage of (i) 30 pence, (ii) 50 pence, (iii) £1, (iv) £1.50 and (v) £2.00. [215586]
Kitty Ussher: Changes in expenditure and revenue are not only dependent on the level of the national minimum wage, but also on the macroeconomic effects of an increase to the national minimum wage.
It is very difficult to reliably estimate the savings induced by an increase of the minimum wage.
Public Expenditure: Thames Gateway
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Government (a) capital and (b) revenue expenditure in the Thames Gateway area there was in each year since 1 April 2003, broken down by local government administrative area; and if he will make a statement. [216831]
Yvette Cooper: The Government do not publish expenditure data at the local authority level. The lowest level at which data for Government expenditure is available is by region. Thames Gateway cuts across three different regions including the East, South East and London. Total identifiable expenditure on services in these regions can be found in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2008 (HC 489). Please see the following link for an electronic copy of PESA 2008.
Revenue and Customs: Closures
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs offices have been closed in (a) London, (b) the South East, (c) the South West, (d) the East, (e) the East Midlands, (f) the West Midlands, (g) Yorkshire and Humber, (h) the North West, (i) the North East, (j) Scotland, (k) Wales and (l) Northern Ireland since 1997. [213617]
Jane Kennedy: HMRC was formed in April 2005 from the two former revenue Departments, Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise, in order to achieve synergies and efficiencies through modernisation of its business operations and rationalisation of its estate.
HMRC have around 85,000 staff currently working in over 600 offices across nearly 300 towns and cities. HMRC's workforce change programme is designed to modernise its operations by restructuring its office accommodation in line with future business needs.
Information on office closures from 1997 to March 2001 is available only at disproportionate cost. The number of HM Revenue and Customs offices, and previously Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise offices, that have been closed in each region since April 2001 is given in the following table:
| Region | Offices closed from April 2001 |
Revenue and Customs: Scotland
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of service for staff employed by HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessor organisations is at each of its locations in Scotland. [216802]
Jane Kennedy: The average length of service (in the civil service) of the staff currently employed by HM Revenue and Customs at each of its locations in Scotland is shown in the following table.
| Location | Average length of service (years) |
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the running costs were for each HM Revenue and Customs office in Scotland in each of the last five years. [216803]
Jane Kennedy: A specific breakdown for each office cannot be supplied due for reasons of commercial sensitivity relating to the accommodation and facility contract between HMRC and its estate partner, Mapeley.
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30 June 2008, Official Report, column 708W.
Revenue and Customs: Vacancies
Nick Ainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs posts at Civil Service Grade 6 and above are vacant. [216622]
Jane Kennedy: On 2 July 2008 there were 21 advertised vacancies for posts at G6 and above in HMRC.
Revenue and Customs: Visits Abroad
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which overseas destinations were visited by HM Revenue and Customs staff in the financial year 2007-08; how many visits were made to each destination; and what the cost to the public purse was of visits to each destination. [215384]
Jane Kennedy: HMRC currently have around 85,000 staff. From information available, the total cost for overseas business travel made by HMRC employees for the financial period 2007-08 is £1,751,257.
The duties of HMRC staff cover a wide range of posts and some roles in particular require overseas travel and accommodation in support of key departmental objectives—for example, EU policy development, enforcement of prohibition and restrictions and mutual administrative assistance.
In relation to hotels booked through HMRC's travel contract, the contract commenced in April 2007. However, the hotel element of the contract was not implemented until July 2007. Therefore the figures provided in the total above relate to the period July 2007 to March 2008 only. The spend for bookings in the period April 2007 to June 2007 is not available except at disproportionate cost.
For policy and operational reasons we are unable to disclose which overseas destinations HMRC employees travel to.
Revenue and Customs: Wales
Nick Ainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the publication of the HM Revenue and Customs Workforce Change proposals on 11 June, what the estimated accommodation cost savings are for (a) HM Revenue and Customs Cherry Grove Haverfordwest and (b) HM Revenue and Customs Pembroke Dock per annum. [216619]
Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) Workforce Change programme is designed to modernise HMRC’s operations by restructuring its workforce and accommodation in line with future business needs.
The gross accommodation cost savings from full vacation of the HMRC offices at Cherry Grove, Haverfordwest and Custom House, Pembroke Dock are estimated to be up to £340,000 per annum. There would be some short-term offsetting costs but, more importantly, greater ongoing business efficiency savings arising from the wider restructuring of which these proposals are a part.
Nick Ainger:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department had with (a) Welsh Assembly Government officials and (b) officials of other Departments officials on the proposed closure of
HM Revenue and Customs offices at (i) Cherry Grove Haverfordwest and (ii) Pembroke Dock. [216624]
Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs through its Workforce Change teams has regular meetings with Welsh Assembly officials and proactively engages with other Government Departments about staffing issues across the whole of Wales.
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