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18 Dec 2008 : Column 932W—continued
Departmental Disabled Staff
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [240992]
Angela Eagle: In fulfilment of the duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty the Treasury will publish a report, in 2009, when it publishes its Single Equality Scheme. The Single Equality Scheme will amalgamate the Treasury's three current equality schemes on (race, disability and gender).
Departmental Pay
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to ensure that those temporary and permanent employees at the same grade in his Department who are paid at an hourly rate are paid at the same rate. [244384]
Angela Eagle: Both temporary and permanent staff are placed on the appropriate pay band for their grade. The same bands apply equally to permanent and temporary staff.
Economic and Monetary Union
Mr. Hague:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on which dates the (a) Chief Secretary to the Treasury, (b) Financial Secretary to the Treasury, (c) Minister of State at the Treasury, (d) Economic Secretary to the Treasury, (e) Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and (f) the Financial Services Secretary (A) last met the President of the European Commission and (B) spoke to the President of the European Commission; and
whether the UK’s prospective membership of the Euro was discussed on each occasion; [242304]
(2) when Treasury officials last discussed Britain’s prospective membership of the Euro with the European Commission; and if he will make a statement. [242305]
Ian Pearson: Treasury Ministers discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in other countries, as well as the European Commission. The Government’s policy on membership of the single currency is unchanged. It remains as set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor’s statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects the United Kingdom to meet the Maastricht criteria for membership of the Euro in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011. [242770]
Ian Pearson: The latest Government forecasts for the economy and the public finances were published in the pre-Budget report on 24 November 2008.
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on possible UK membership of the European single currency in the last two years. [243002]
Ian Pearson: Treasury Ministers discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in other countries, as well as the European Commission. The Government's policy on membership of the single currency in unchanged. It remains as set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with his colleagues in the Eurozone on membership of the single currency. [244664]
Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the right hon. and learned Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 25 November, Official Report, column 1325W.
Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks
Mr. Vara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much duty on (a) beer, (b) wine and (c) spirits changed in percentage terms in each year since 1997. [242874]
Angela Eagle: Rates of alcohol duty since 1995 are published on the UK Trade Information website:
Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to adjust the rate of vehicle mileage allowances in line with fuel prices. [244808]
Angela Eagle: Decisions on approved mileage allowance payments (AMAPs) rates are taken as part of the Budget and pre-Budget report processes.
Financial Inclusion Fund
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the budget of the Financial Inclusion Fund is in the 2008-09 and the each of the next three financial years. [242126]
Ian Pearson: The Financial Inclusion Fund is worth £130 million in 2008-11. The allocations over this time are:
| £ million | |
| Financial inclusion fund allocation | |
Gold and Foreign Exchange Reserves
Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tonnes of gold have been sold from UK reserves in each year since May 1997; what revenue was received from sales in each year; and if he will estimate the revenue which each sale would have generated at current gold prices. [244303]
Ian Pearson: 395 tonnes of gold have been sold since 1997: 75 tonnes in 1999; 150 tonnes in 2000; 130 tonnes in 2001; and 40 tonnes in 2002. The date of, the amount of gold sold and the allotment price at each of the 17 gold auctions is set out in the following table.
The total proceeds from the sales were around US$3.5 billion. At the morning fix on 15 December 2008 the total value of this gold was US$10.5 billion. The gold sales between July 1999 and March 2002 reflected a prudent decision to reduce over-exposure to a single asset in the net reserves portfolio.
| Date | Amount sold (ounces) | Allotment price ($/ounce) |
Income Tax
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) average and the marginal rate of income tax is for each man who is a single earner with a wife and two children with earnings of (i) £10,000 a year and (ii) within each £5,000 band above £10,000 up to £200,000; how many such persons are in each income band announced in the Pre-Budget Report 2008; and how much such a person in each income band will have (A) as additional income and (B) to pay in tax and duties as a consequence of the measures. [241139]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 8 December 2008]: Income tax liabilities by income band for 2008-09 are provided in HM Revenue and Customs Statistics Table 2.5:
The effect of tax measures announced in the PBR by income band is provided in the Government's response to the Treasury Select Committee's Thirteenth Report for 2007-08, ‘Budget measures and Low Income Households’, available at:
Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual taxpayers affected by the withdrawal of the 10 pence starting rate for income tax will pay more income tax than they did before the withdrawal of the rate when the steps announced in (a) Budgets 2007 and 2008, (b) the Chancellor's statement dated 13 May, on income tax and (c) the Pre-Budget Report 2008 are taken into account. [242857]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 11 December 2008]: The personal tax measures announced by the Chancellor in the 2008 pre-Budget report will permanently reduce the number of households paying more net tax as a result of the Budget 2007 direct tax and benefit changes from 5.3 million originally to 500,000 in 2011-12. The 13 May increase in personal allowances for this year reduced the number of households paying more net tax from these changes to 1.1 million in 2008-09.
The Government's response to the Treasury Committee's report ‘Budget Measures and Low Income Households’ available at
explained in answer to recommendation 9, and at the start of Annexes A and B, why it is not possible to provide individual analysis of the Budget 2007 direct tax and benefit changes.
Interest Rates
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his comments of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 856, in the debate on the
Queen's Speech, when the Bank of England base rate was last at 17 per cent. [244983]
Ian Pearson: Historical data on bank rates are available from the Bank of England's website.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 31 October 2008, on savings (PO reference: 1/62564/2008); [241383]
(2) when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 28 October 2008 on financial protection for individuals invested in the Icelandic bank, Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander; [242432]
(3) when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 21 October 2008 on the Icelandic bank, Kaupthing Edge (PO Ref: 1/62030/2008). [242433]
Ian Pearson: The Financial Services Secretary very much regrets not being in a position to reply to the hon. Member and will do so as soon as possible.
Mortgages
Anne Moffat: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the services to mortgage holders being offered by banks recapitalised with public funds. [240278]
Ian Pearson: On 8 October this year, the Government announced a comprehensive package of measures to support stability of the financial system, protect ordinary savers, depositors, businesses and borrowers, and to safeguard the interests of the taxpayer.
As part of their investment, the Government have agreed with the banks supported by the recapitalisation scheme a range of commitments. Details are available at:
These include agreements to make available affordable products during this period of global turbulence in financial markets, help individuals struggling with their mortgage payments stay in their homes and support the expansion of financial capability initiatives.
UK Financial Investments Ltd. (UKFI), an arm’s length company, will oversee the conditions attached to subscribing to the Government’s recapitalisation fund.
Paymaster-General: Correspondence
Clare Short: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Paymaster-General plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood of 24 September 2008 sent on behalf of Asghar Khan, a constituent. [242262]
Ian Pearson: The right hon. Lady's letter was addressed to the Paymaster General at the Cabinet Office. The Treasury has obtained a copy of the letter from the right hon. Lady's office and a Treasury Minister will write to her about this matter as soon as possible.
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