Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 18 December 2008
Wales
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many special advisers were employed in his Department at each pay band on 30 November 2008; and what his Department's total expenditure on special advisers was in 2007-08. [243560]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers.
Information for 2007-08 was published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008, Official Report, columns 99-102WS.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent on (a) departmental Christmas parties and (b) staff entertainment in the last three years. [243741]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Wales Office does not contribute to departmental parties or staff entertainment.
Mental Illness
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities made in the Foresight report on Mental Capacity and Well-Being; and if he will make a statement. [244026]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The recommendations from The Foresight Project: Mental Capital and Wellbeing, as they apply to Wales, fall to the Welsh Assembly government for consideration.
I understand that the Welsh Assembly welcomes this paper, as being in line with their public health and mental health policy agenda.
I am advised the paper has been circulated to the Welsh Assembly Government's mental health Task and Finish group for consideration and discussion.
Queen Elizabeth II: Anniversaries
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans his Department has to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. [243978]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Wales Office worked closely with Buckingham Palace and the Welsh Assembly government on plans to mark Her Majesty the Queen's Golden jubilee in 2002 and looks forward to being similarly involved to mark the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Treasury
Small Businesses
7. Clive Efford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect on small businesses of the measures announced in the pre-Budget report. [244637]
Angela Eagle: The PBR announced new facilities for over £2 billion additional support for SMEs in accessing credit, more generous loss relief, a new HMRC support service, and deferral of the increase in the small companies rate of corporation tax.
This is worth £1 billion of tax cuts, £2 billion in loan guarantees, along with £4 billion of European money—£7 billion in total.
Since PBR HMRC's new support service has helped 6,250 businesses spread around £110 million worth of tax payments.
10. Alison Seabeck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the measures to assist small businesses announced in the pre-Budget report. [244640]
Angela Eagle: The PBR announced new facilities for over £2 billion additional support for SMEs in accessing credit, more generous loss relief, a new HMRC support service, and deferral of the increase in the small companies rate of corporation tax.
This is worth £1 billion of tax cuts, £2 billion in loan guarantees, along with £4 billion of European money—£7 billion in total.
Since PBR HMRC's new support service has helped 6,250 businesses spread around £110 million worth of tax payments.
17. Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to increase the supply of credit to small businesses. [244649]
Ian Pearson: In addition to the establishment of the Lending Panel, the Government also announced at PBR 2008 a package to assist small and medium enterprises facing credit constraints.
This package included the establishment of the Small Business Finance Scheme, a Export Credits Guarantee Department scheme, and a number of other actions. When combined this package will facilitate over £2 billion of extra support to SME's experiencing short-term financial difficulties.
18. Mr. Betts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect on small businesses of the measures announced in the pre-Budget report. [244650]
Angela Eagle: The PBR announced new facilities for over £2 billion additional support for SMEs in accessing credit, more generous loss relief, a new HMRC support service, and deferral of the increase in the small companies rate of corporation tax.
This is worth £1 billion of tax cuts, £2 billion in loan guarantees, along with £4 billion of European money—£7 billion in total.
Since PBR HMRC's new support service has helped 6,250 businesses spread around £110 million worth of tax payments.
Government Finance
12. Richard Ottaway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the £5 billion additional value for money savings announced in the pre-Budget report are net of the cost of delivery. [244642]
Yvette Cooper: The pr-Budget report sets out plans for the net savings of £5 billion.
20. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the levels of Government borrowing and debt; and if he will make a statement. [244652]
Yvette Cooper: Table B3 of the 2008 pre-Budget report sets out the Chancellor's projections for the level of Government borrowing and debt. The Government's will continue to support the economy through these difficult times. Over the medium-term, the Government's fiscal policy objective remains ensuring the sustainability of the public finances, in order to protect stability, employment and growth.
Global Fiscal Stimulus
13. Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his overseas counterparts on the potential for and practicality of delivering a global fiscal stimulus. [244644]
Ian Pearson: The Chancellor has had discussions with many international colleagues, including G20 and European finance ministers. The case for concerted fiscal action was endorsed by the leaders of the G20 on 15 November, and by European leaders on 12 December and many countries around the world have already implemented a fiscal stimulus.
Banks: Liquidity
14. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the operation of aspects of the pre-Budget report dealing with liquidity for banks. [244645]
Ian Pearson: The tripartite authorities are continually assessing the operation of measures targeted at improving liquidity in the financial system. The Bank of England's liquidity operations, including the Special Liquidity Scheme have been operating as intended.
Value Added Tax
15. Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the savings that will be made by a person earning (a) £200,000 per annum and (b) £20,000 per annum as a result of the reduction in the rate of value added tax to 15 per cent. [244646]
Mr. Timms: No such estimates have been made because such savings are more dependent on spending patterns, which vary widely, rather than on earnings.
16. Mr. Mackay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he gave to increasing the rate of value added tax above 17.5 per cent. prior to his statement on the pre-Budget report. [244647]
Mr. Timms: As both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have already said in this House, a large number of options on just about every aspect of tax and spending were considered in the run-up to the pre-Budget report. The Chancellor announced that while VAT would comedown to 15 per cent., it would return to 17.5 per cent, at the end of 2009.
Personal Debt
19. Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of personal debt at the beginning of (a) 2008 and (b) 2009. [244651]
Ian Pearson: The Office for National Statistics publishes data on levels of personal debt. The Government do not publish forecasts for personal debt.
Housing
21. Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking as part of his fiscal stimulus package to support local authorities in their spending on housing. [244653]
Angela Eagle: The fiscal stimulus package included £250 million for Decent Home improvements and £175 million for major repairs to council housing in England.
Bank Services: Small Businesses
Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of lending by the banking sector to small-and-medium-sized enterprises. [244643]
Angela Eagle: The Chancellor announced at pre-Budget report 2008 that the Government are establishing a Lending Panel, bringing together Government, regulators, lenders, trade bodies and consumer groups to monitor lending to both households and businesses. The new panel is monitoring lending, and will encourage and drive up best practice in lending decisions and treatment of borrowers.
Banks: Iceland
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what discussions he has had with the governments of (a) Iceland and (b) Guernsey on Landsbanki Guernsey; [242234]
(2) what meetings he or his officials (a) have had and (b) plan to have with representatives of the depositors of Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man; [242236]
(3) what meetings he or his officials (a) have had and (b) plan to have with representatives of the depositors of Landbanski Guernsey; [242237]
(4) what responsibilities he has to represent the Isle of Man government in its discussions with the Icelandic government on Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man; what his remit for such discussions is; and if he will make a statement; [242242]
(5) what responsibilities he has to represent the Guernsey government in its discussions with the Icelandic government on Landsbanki; what his remit for such discussions is in respect of Landsbanki Guernsey; and if he will make a statement; [242243]
(6) what discussions he has had with the governments of (a) Iceland and (b) the Isle of Man on Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man. [242244]
Ian Pearson: Arrangements for depositors in banks in the Isle of Man and Guernsey are a matter for the Governments of the Isle of Man and Guernsey. Deposits with Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander, Isle of Man, will be subject to the Isle of Man Deposit Compensation Scheme.
In line with usual constitutional arrangements, the UK Government will represent the Crown Dependencies in its negotiations with the Icelandic authorities.
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions 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 and discussions.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to meet representatives from the Government of Isle of Man to discuss the Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander banking collapse in the next two months. [240818]
Ian Pearson: Arrangements for depositors in banks in the Isle of Man are a matter for the Government of the Isle of Man. Deposits with Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander, Isle of Man, will be subject to the Isle of Man Deposit Compensation Scheme.
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions 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 and discussions.
Banks: Pay
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 29 October 2008, Official Report, column 1096W, on banks: pay, if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the letters sent by the Chief Executive of the Financial Services Authority to the chief executives of major banks and building societies on 13 October 2008. [242318]
Ian Pearson:
The letter sent by the chief executive of the Financial Services Authority to chief executive officers
on 13 October 2008 has been published by the Financial Services Authority. It is accessible at:
Banks: Regulation
Sir Alan Beith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms there are to protect depositors in UK banks and building societies whose accounts are transferred to financial institutions outside UK jurisdiction without their consent. [244995]
Ian Pearson: Accounts with banks or building societies in the UK would normally only be transferred to another authorised person able to accept deposits in the UK. The depositors would then be protected by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme or the deposit-guarantee scheme of an EEA credit institution's home state.
Credit Rating: EU Action
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government’s policy is on the proposals on the registration of credit rating agencies set out in the draft EU Directive on Credit Rating Agencies. [244307]
Ian Pearson: The Government support registration of credit rating agencies. The Commission’s proposals are now being discussed in council working groups.
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