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11 Dec 2008 : Column 258W—continued
Property Development: Floods
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations she has received from (a) developers, (b) local authorities and (c) the Environment Agency on the operation of Planning Policy Statement 25. [241505]
Mr. Iain Wright: No recent representations from these parties about the operation of Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25) have been received by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.
The Government continue to work closely with local authorities, the Environment Agency and other stakeholders to ensure that the policy in PPS25 is properly implemented and delivered on the ground, including holding conferences, presentations and workshops aimed at a range of audiences.
Regional Planning and Development: South West
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many responses she has received to the latest consultation on the South West Regional Spatial Strategy in respect of (a) the whole document, (b) HMA 7, area of search 7D/E/F and (c) HMA 7, area of search 7B. [241380]
Mr. Khan [holding answer 9 December 2008]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 December 2008, Official Report, column 62W. Officials at the Government office for the south-west are currently assessing the 35,000 responses received and, at this stage, it is not possible to say how many responses are concerned with specific proposals of the Regional Spatial Strategy.
Repossession Orders
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties have been repossessed in each of the housing renewal areas in each month since 1 April 2007; and if she will make a statement. [242385]
Mr. Iain Wright: There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Financial Services Authority. However, information from both is available only for the United Kingdom as a whole and is available only quarterly.
The Department does not collect information on mortgage possessions although information for the United Kingdom as a whole is published by the Council of Mortgage lenders and the Financial Services Authority.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders data are available on their website at:
The Financial Services Authority data are available on their website at:
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many home repossessions there were in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council area and (d) Cheadle constituency in (i) 2007 and (ii) to date in 2008. [242539]
Mr. Iain Wright: There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Financial Services Authority. However information from both are only available for the United Kingdom as a whole.
The Department does not collect information on mortgage possessions although information for the United Kingdom as a whole is published by the Council of Mortgage lenders and the Financial Services Authority.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders data are available on their website at:
The Financial Services Authority data are available on their website at:
Treasury
Air Passenger Duty
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from US authorities on the proposed changes to air passenger duty; what the content of each such representation was; what response his Department made in each case; and if he will make a statement. [242596]
Angela Eagle: The Chancellor announced at the 2008 pre-Budget report that air passenger duty would be reformed from a two-distance band regime to a four-distance band regime. The Chancellor has not received any representations from the US authorities on these changes.
The US Government responded to the Government's consultation on proposals for a per plane tax. The summary of consultation responses was published alongside the pre-Budget report.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008, Official Report, columns 336-7W, on Government departments: information and communications technology, which IP addresses are used by (a) his Department and (b) computers in the offices of its (i) Ministers, (ii) communications officials and (iii) special advisers. [241962]
Angela Eagle: To help defend against electronic attack, it is standard good practice for corporate IT systems not to publish internal IP addresses. When accessing internet websites, the IP addresses of all of the computers on HM Treasury's internal office IT system are hidden behind the following IP addresses which are publicly available—195.92.40.49 and 62.25.106.209. These IP addresses are shared with other Government departments who use the Government secure intranet.
Economic and Monetary Union
Mr. Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he (a) last met the President of the European Commission and (b) spoke to the President of the European Commission; and whether he discussed Britain’s prospective membership of the euro on either occasion. [241495]
Ian Pearson: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations 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 meetings.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on preparations for the possibility of joining the European single currency since 1997. [242771]
Ian Pearson: HM Treasury does not hold separate information on the cost of preparations for the possibility of joining the European single currency.
Equitable Life Assurance Society
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report into the prudential regulation of the Equitable Life Assurance Society from 1988 to the end of November 2001; and if he will establish a Commission as recommended by the Ombudsman in her report. [242413]
Angela Eagle: The Government have been giving very careful consideration to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s report. The Government expect to be in a position to respond to the report in an oral statement to the House during the week commencing 12 January.
Government Procurement Card
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what bodies store the data for transactions made through the Government Procurement Card. [241752]
Angela Eagle: The Card Issuing banks are the main bodies that store data for transactions made through the Government Procurement Card (GPC) service.
Insolvency
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1900W, on insolvency (1) how much was claimed by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) bankruptcies and (b) individual voluntary arrangement cases in which it was a creditor, in each of the last four years; and what the expected amounts are for (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; [242527]
(2) with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1899-1900W, on insolvency, how much was claimed by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) company administration and (b) company receivership cases in which it was a creditor, in each of the last four years; and what the expected amounts are for (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; [242528]
(3) with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1900W, on insolvency, in how many cases of (a) bankruptcy and (b) individual voluntary arrangements, where HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) was a creditor, HMRC's claim was of an amount (i) up to £5,000, (ii) between £5,001
and £10,000, (iii) between £10,001 and £25,000, (iv) between £25,001 and £50,000, (v) between £50,001 and £75,000, (vi) between £75,001 and £100,000, (vii) between £100,001 and £250,000, (viii) between £250,001 and £500,000, (ix) between £500,001 and £1,000,000 and (x) over £1,000,000 in each of the last four years; and how many such cases are expected to fall into each category in (A) 2008-09 and (B) 2009-10; [242529]
(4) with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1899-1900W, on insolvency, in how many cases of (a) company administration and (b) company receivership, where HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) was a creditor, HMRC's claim was of an amount (i) up to £5,000, (ii) between £5,001 and £10,000, (iii) between £10,001 and £25,000, (iv) between £25,001 and £50,000, (v) between £50,001 and £75,000, (vi) between £75,001 and £100,000, (vii) between £100,001 and £250,000, (viii) between £250,001 and £500,000, (ix) between £500,001 and £1,000,000 and (x) over £1,000,000 in each of the last four years; and how many such cases are expected to fall into each category in (A) 2008-09 and (B) 2009-10. [242530]
Angela Eagle: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Non-Domestic Rates: Empty Property
Mr. Leech: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the evidential basis was for the statement in the 2008 Pre-Budget Report that 70 per cent. of all empty properties would be covered by the temporary increase in the threshold for empty property relief. [241811]
Angela Eagle: Communities and Local Government publishes details of revenue received through business rates by region and according to value bands.
Pre-Budget Review
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what appraisals were made of (a) the sustainability impact and (b) the carbon and climate change impact of the ; and if he will (i) publish on the Treasury website and (b) place in the Library copies of such appraisals. [241975]
Angela Eagle: Table 7.3 of the 2008 pre-Budget report sets out the environmental impact of measures. This includes an estimate of carbon dioxide emissions savings where these are quantifiable. For specific measures, the Government also uses the impact assessment process, in line with guidance from the Better Regulation Executive.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to Table B17 of the Pre-Budget Report 2008, Cm 7484, which departments will have their (a) resource and (b) capital departmental expenditure limits increased in the current financial year; and what
each increase will be, expressed in near-cash terms. [241814]
Yvette Cooper: The details of Departments’ budgets changes that will take place in the current financial year will be set out to Parliament in Spring Supplementary Estimates. Spring Supplementary Estimates include changes to near cash budgets.
Revenue and Customs: Pay
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans there are to pay bonuses to staff at the Tax Credit Office in 2008-09. [242189]
Ian Pearson: Details on how HMRC rewards performance can be found in the Departmental Report and Departmental Accounts available at
Revenue and Customs: Wales
Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the basis is for the assertion by HM Revenue and Customs that it will be able to meet its obligation to provide a full Welsh language service for its clients in North West Wales after the closure of its Bangor office. [242532]
Angela Eagle: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) remains committed to providing services to its Welsh-speaking customers, in accordance with its Welsh language scheme.
The final decisions on its future office structure which HMRC published on 4 December included relocating most of the back office operations currently carried out from its office at Bangor to Colwyn Bay. The enquiry centre services currently offered in Bangor will continue to be provided either in the same building or nearby, so there will be minimal impact on customers requiring a face-to-face service. By using an appointment system, HMRC will continue to ensure that provision for Welsh speakers is made in advance of meetings.
Other business units that will be relocating from Bangor are aware of the importance of the Welsh language service and have arrangements in place to ensure continuation of this provision across North Wales.
Tax Credit
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many and what percentage of tax credit claimants have been underpaid more than (a) once, (b) twice, (c) three times and (d) four times since their claim began; [241943]
(2) how many and what percentage of tax credit claimants have been overpaid more than (a) once, (b) twice, (c) three times and (d) four times since their claim began. [241968]
Angela Eagle:
Overpayments fell very significantly in 2006-07, to £1 billion, as a direct result of the successful implementation of a package of measures to improve tax credits announced at PBR 2005. They are now less than half the level of the first year of the system and through the Tax Credits Transformation programme we
are continuing to help people to reduce the likelihood of getting an over or under-payment on their award.
Information on the number of tax credit awards with more than one, two and three underpayments or overpayments, between 2003-04 and 2006-07, is provided in the following table.
Information on the number of families incurring underpayments or overpayments in 2007-08 is not yet available.
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