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6 Oct 2008 : Column 374W—continued
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Minister has responsibility for each of his Department's public service agreement targets. [223983]
Mr. Timms: For the 2007 comprehensive spending review period, HM Treasury has lead responsibility for one public service agreement (PSA):
“Halve the number of children in poverty by 2010-11, on the way to eradicating child poverty by 2020 (PSA 9)”.
The Exchequer Secretary has responsibility for the performance of the Treasury under the direction of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
EDF Energy
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contracts (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have with EDF; and how much (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies paid to EDF in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the purpose of the payment. [221837]
Angela Eagle: Neither the Treasury nor its agencies have any record of contracts with EDF Energy for the supply of energy in any of the last 10 years. The Treasury's accounting record shows three annual payments of £701 having been made to EDF Energy since 2006-07 in respect of a communication charge and the leasing of an electricity meter.
EU Budget: Contributions
Mr. Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the effect of sterling/euro exchange rate changes on the UK net contribution to the EU in (a) each of the last five years for which figures are available and (b) 2008 to date, using the previous Budget Red Book as a base figure in each case. [222496]
Ian Pearson: No separate estimate is made. Exchange rate changes will, of course, impact on these forecasts but this is only one of a number of factors which are taken into account, and which inter-relate with each other, in putting together each forecast. Figures for UK net contributions to the EC Budget are published twice each year in the Budget and the pre-Budget report (PBR) and latest estimates will be included in the PBR later this year.
EU Law
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department are wholly or mainly tasked with the negotiation, implementation or the administration of EU legislation and consequent policies. [222278]
Ian Pearson: The EU is of central importance to the work of HM Government across all Departments. It is relevant to a wide range of policy areas, and to the work of many Government officials. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely effect of the changes to vehicle excise duty introduced in the 2008 Budget on the value of second hand cars. [221767]
Ian Pearson: A number of factors affect the purchase price of second hand vehicles, such as brand, mileage, reliability and comfort. Tax is only one factor.
Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration his Department has given to the introduction of a derogation from road tax increases for working farm vehicles. [224438]
Mr. Timms: Vehicles used solely for agricultural purposes are exempt from vehicle excise duty.
Fraud
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central of 2 July 2008, Official Report, columns 964-65, on fraud, what cases referred to in the answer were excluding any references to individuals; and which cases (a) are under investigation and (b) have been resolved. [220835]
Mr. Timms: As there were fewer than five cases, it would not be appropriate to provide details. All cases have been resolved.
Higher Civil Servants
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people his Department employs who have an annual salary of over £100,000. [222322]
Angela Eagle: 15 Treasury officials currently have an annual salary of over £100,000.
Housing: Greater London
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Valuation Office Agency has made of the average house price in London in (a) April 2006, (b) April 2007 and (c) the most recent period for which figures are available. [222839]
Jane Kennedy: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) does not assess an average house price in London. However, it produces a biannual Property Market Report, based on valuation dates of January and July each year, that includes statistics for indicative house values across 17 areas of London for five different dwelling types ranging from pre war terraced houses to 1960s flats. The statistics can be viewed on the VOA’s website www.voa.gov.uk under ‘Publications’.
Housing: Valuation
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 18 June 2008, Official Report, column 988W, on housing: valuation, if he will place in the Library an Excel chart listing the numerical value of the co-efficient for each locality used by the automated valuation model. [223081]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 22 July 2008, Official Report, column 1393W.
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 18 June 2008, Official Report, column 988W, and to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 7 May 2008, Official Report, columns 912-13W, on housing: valuation, what unique number has been given to each locality; and in which billing authority each lies. [223086]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) on 7 July 2008, Official Report, column 1258W.
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Valuation Office Agency has allocated for data capture in 2008-09. [223089]
Jane Kennedy: Data capture is an integral part of much of the work of the Valuation Office Agency and not subject to a separate cost allocation.
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley of 18 June 2008, Official Report, column 988W, on housing: valuation, what the average area of each locality is. [223092]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1689W. No precise calculation of the total or average individual area has been made as this is not required for operational purposes—and to do so would involve disproportionate cost.
Income Tax: Prisoners
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions income tax has been repaid to people in custody in the last three years. [224310]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is not available.
Income Tax: Tax Allowances
Mr. Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of the personal allowance for income tax would be in the 2008-09 tax year if it had been increased in line with the Retail Price Index since 1972. [222502]
Jane Kennedy: The income tax personal allowance would be £4,065 for 2008-09 if it had been increased in line with the retail prices index each year since 1972.
Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on revenue to the Exchequer of decreasing the basic rate of income tax by (a) one penny, (b) two pence, (c) three pence, (d) four pence and (e) five pence. [222937]
Mr. Timms: The Exchequer effect of changes in the basic rate of income tax can be derived from table 1.6 ‘Direct effects of illustrative tax changes’ on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
Minimum Wage
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether hon. Members who report alleged instances of employers paying wages at rates below the national minimum wage are routinely informed of steps taken by his Department in response to such reports. [221704]
Mr. Timms: HM Revenue and Customs have a legal duty of confidentiality towards their customers. For NMW, this includes employers and their workers. This means that HM Revenue and Customs cannot routinely disclose details to Members who report alleged instances of non-compliant employers. However, where the Member is acting in a representative capacity for a named worker and the worker has submitted a signed authority to that effect, the Member may be kept informed of progress.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent steps his Department has taken on enforcement of provisions relating to the national minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. [221752]
Mr. Timms: The enforcement activities of HMRC for 2007-08 will be set out in the Government Evidence to the Low Pay Commission 2008 (non-economic evidence), expected to be available on the BERR website this month. The enforcement activities of HMRC for recent years prior to 2007-08 are set out in the Government Evidence for previous years that is now available on the BERR website.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fines have been issued to employers for paying employees at rates below the national minimum wage in (a) England, (b) Wakefield district and (c) Hemsworth constituency since the provisions came into force; and what the sum of such fines has been in each year. [221754]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is not available in the categories specified.
Mortgage Relief
Mr. Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what spending was on tax reliefs under the mortgage interest relief at source scheme in each of the last 20 years, broken down by (a) type of tenancy and (b) category of housing provision. [221776]
Ian Pearson: Available information on the cost of mortgage interest relief is published on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Mr. Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how vehicles retro-fitted with a hydrogen kit are treated for vehicle excise duty purposes; what tax banding applies to such vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [221697]
Mr. Timms: VED will be fuel neutral from 2011-12.
Vehicles fitted with retrofitted devices marketed to aid fuel savings remain subject to VED under CO2 graduated brandings if registered from 1 March 2001 onwards, or engine capacity based rated of VED if registered earlier. All vehicles registered or built prior to 1973 remain nil rated if not in commercial use.
Northern Rock
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he was first advised by Goldman Sachs that under the best case scenario for Northern Rock the related costs to the Exchequer would be at least £450 million. [223253]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 10 September 2008]: The information requested relates to proceedings that are currently before the courts and so it would be inappropriate to comment.
Planning Permission
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what planning applications were made by his Department between 2001-02 and 2006-07; and for what purpose in each case. [222841]
Angela Eagle: The Treasury made no planning applications during the period concerned.
Revenue and Customs: Job Satisfaction
Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the full results of each of the staff satisfaction surveys at HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years. [222617]
Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs currently conduct a staff survey twice yearly covering 20,000 to 30,000 staff.
The most recent results from November 2007 are published on the Department’s external website and are available for viewing.
The published results show comparisons with the previous staff surveys that have taken place since the formation of HMRC on 18 April 2005.
Revenue and Customs: Rightmove
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2008, Official Report, column 234W, on Revenue and Customs: Rightmove, what the timetable is for the operational decision to be made on whether to extend the contract. [222486]
Jane Kennedy: No firm timetable exists.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2008, Official Report, column 234W, on Revenue and Customs: Rightmove, when the contracts expire; and whether the expiration of the contract would mean that historic data could still be accessed. [222487]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 22 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1106-07.
Revenue and Customs: Southend on Sea
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will visit the HM Revenue and Customs offices in Southend-on-Sea to meet (a) staff and (b) union representatives to discuss the number of staff employed at the office; and if he will make a statement. [222287]
Mr. Timms: The Minister responsible for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has visited several HMRC offices and will continue to do so, meeting regularly with Members of Parliament and union representatives to discuss HMRC’s Workforce Change programme.
I have no current plans to visit the offices in Southend but I would be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss matters of concern to him.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will maintain 2,000 jobs in HM Revenue and Customs offices in Southend; and if he will make a statement. [222290]
Mr. Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is committed to maintaining a substantial presence in Southend. Staffing projections are published and updated on the HMRC website at
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