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12 Jan 2009 : Column 350W—continued
These changes would not affect the number of claimants eligible for tax credits. However, they would increase the number of claimants with awards reduced to zero.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new claims for tax credits have been made in each of the last 24 months. [246898]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary (Angela Eagle) gave her on 10 December 2008, Official Report column 198W.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to publish the Government's response to its consultation on the tax credit system. [246900]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary (Angela Eagle) gave her on 10 December 2008, Official Report: column 198W.
Welfare Tax Credits: Bexley
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimants in the London Borough of Bexley were overpaid tax credits in the last three years for which figures are available. [244754]
Mr. Timms: Estimates of the number of families with tax credit awards, including information on overpayments by local authority, based on final family circumstances and incomes, for the years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are available in the HMRC publications ‘Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments. Geographical Analyses’, for each relevant year. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
Welfare Tax Credits: Complaints
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints about tax credits the Tax Credit Office has received in each of the last 24 months, broken down by type of communication. [246895]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary (Ian Pearson) gave her on 10 December 2008, Official Report, column 198W.
Welfare Tax Credits: Telephone Services
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the tax credit helpline call centres have caller identification technology in place. [246893]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 December 2008, Official Report column 825W.
Working Tax Credit
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of the research undertaken by HM Revenue and Customs on the reasons why some people without children do not claim working tax credit. [246582]
Mr. Timms: In 2007, HMRC commissioned a piece of qualitative research looking at the triggers and barriers to the take-up of Working Tax Credit among those without dependent children, in accordance with the Department's policy on publication, the research findings will be published on the HMRC website at
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much and what proportion of working tax credit underpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was subsequently paid in each year since the scheme’s introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246611]
(2) how much and what proportion of working tax credit overpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was recovered in each year since the scheme’s introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246612]
(3) how much was (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid in working tax credits owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since the scheme’s introduction; what the average discrepancy per case is; and if he will make a statement; [246613]
(4) how many and what proportion of working tax credit claims were (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since the scheme’s introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246614]
(5) how much and what proportion of child tax credit underpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was subsequently paid out in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246615]
(6) how much and what proportion of tax credit overpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was recovered in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246616]
(7) how much and what proportion of tax credit underpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was subsequently paid out in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246617]
(8) how much and what proportion of child tax credit claims were (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246618]
(9) how much was (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid in child tax credits owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since their introduction; what the average discrepency per case is; and if he will make a statement; [246619]
(10) how much and what proportion of child tax credit overpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was recovered in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement; [246620]
(11) how much has been (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid in tax credits owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since their introduction; what the average discrepancy per case is; and if he will make a statement; [246621]
(12) how many and what proportion of tax credit claims were (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since the scheme’s introduction; and if he will make a statement. [246908]
Mr. Timms: The information is not available in the format requested.
Accuracy in processing and calculating awards increased from just under 79 per cent. in 2003-04 to around 97 per cent. in 2007-08. In addition, in 2007-08 fewer than 5 per cent. of overpayments where the customer disputed whether they should make a repayment contained any element of official error.
Information about the level of under and overpayments of tax credits is published on the HM Revenue and Customs website at
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan and Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department takes to monitor the behaviour of individuals employed by private security companies operating in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan. [243885]
Bill Rammell: The Government do not monitor the behaviour of individuals operating on behalf of Private Military Security Companies (PMSCs), except when they are part of a contract that the Government have with a specific PMSC. HMG closely monitors contracts of PMSCs operating in Iraq and Afghanistan that are contracted by the UK Government. All HMG's PMSC contracts are subject to ongoing performance monitoring and contract management by the FCO and other Government Departments concerned, both in country on-the-ground and from the UK, in respect of all aspects of the delivery and operation of these contracts. HMG requires the highest standard of personal behaviour from staff employed by PMSCs contracted by HMG.
FCO monitors performance by a mixture of key performance indicators, regular visits by the Overseas Security Advisors to FCO posts who review and report on the PMSCs' performance, regular review meetings in London with PMSCs, and monitoring expenditure against a fully profiled budget. In addition, the FCO reviews requirements on completion of the contract and prior to re-tendering in order to highlight any improvements that could be made as a result of experience or lessons learned.
Arms Trade: Exports
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compliance of relevant UK (a) legislation and (b) regulations with the requirements of the EU Common Position on defining common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment; and if he will make a statement. [246129]
Bill Rammell: The UK has for some time been pressing for the adoption of the EU Code of Conduct as a Common Position; we welcome its adoption in December 2008, which changes the code's status from politically to legally binding on all member states. Export licence applications are currently subject to assessment by the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, adopted in 2000 and announced in this House on 26 October 2000. This brought together in one place principles underpinning both UK legislation and the EU Code of Conduct, to ensure a consistent approach to export licensing. This became part of statutory guidance. As export licence applications are made under the Export Control Act 2002, this remains the same with the Common Position. We will not therefore require any significant change to UK legislation to implement the Common Position, and will be in a position to implement it without delay.
Bangladesh: Elections
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards free and fair elections in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement. [243878]
Bill Rammell: The Chief Election Commissioner of Bangladesh has announced that the national election will take place on 29 December. The parties have now submitted their nominations for the election. International observer missions are now in Bangladesh.
The caretaker Government have announced that the state of emergency will be lifted on 17 December. The people of Bangladesh are looking forward to choosing a new Government.
Bosnia: Politics and Government
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Solana-Rehn joint report to EU Foreign Ministers on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement. [240822]
David Miliband: I welcome the Solana-Rehn joint report entitled ‘EU's policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the way ahead’. The report is principally concerned with the future of the EU Special Representative's office in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and is a good start to an important discussion. The UK remains deeply concerned about the political situation in BiH, and will engage closely with EU partners on the issues raised in the report. We believe the EU needs to increase further its engagement in BiH.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Solana-Rehn joint report to EU foreign ministers on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. [240837]
David Miliband: We are not able to place a copy of the Solana-Rehn joint report to EU Foreign Ministers on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Library. The document is jointly owned by the Javier Solana (EU High Representative) and Olli Rehn (EU Commissioner for Enlargement) and is not in the public domain. However a summary of the report, which is in the public domain, will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the level of co-operation and consultation between the EU and NATO in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement. [240838]
David Miliband: Both the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the EU remain deeply concerned about the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At a joint NATO-EU discussion of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 27 October 2008, EU High Representative Javier Solana and the NATO Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer underlined that the slowdown in reform progress and ongoing ethnic nationalist rhetoric was extremely worrying.
Both organisations continue to co-operate closely in their efforts to ensure Bosnia and Herzegovina makes progress on the reform priorities necessary for further EU-Atlantic integration. The EU Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) continues to operate under Berlin Plus arrangements, ensuring ongoing co-ordination of NATO and EU activities. The NATO Secretary General has highlighted the excellent working relationship between NATO and EU Commanders on the ground.
British Council: Finance
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding his Department has made available for the British Council's Reconnect Initiative for each year until 2010-11. [243036]
Caroline Flint: In the 2007 comprehensive spending review, the Treasury allocated an additional £6 million to the British Council for its Reconnect Initiative:
| £ million | |
These funds are in addition to the British Council's baseline funding.
British Council: Pakistan
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when it was decided to close the Library of the British Council in Lahore, Pakistan; what assessment was made of the
contribution it made to understanding of the UK and the West in Pakistan; and if he will bring forward plans to reopen the Library. [244465]
Caroline Flint: As a result of the events of 11 September 2001, and due to the deteriorating security situation, all public-access British Council premises in Pakistan were closed in 2002.
The library in Lahore was an essential part of the British Council Pakistan's offer to young people helping them to establish a relationship with the UK at a time when the internet was non-existent. The British Council has continued to engage with local customers by increasing the availability of on-line and phone services while at the same time reducing the vulnerability of its staff and customers.
The security environment in Pakistan, coupled with the British Council's emphasis on partnerships and online working mean they have no plans to reopen any libraries in Pakistan.
British Indian Ocean Territory: Angling
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was received through the sale of fishing licences in the British Indian Ocean Territory in the last five years. [245419]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State, Geoff Hoon, gave on 22 May 2006, Official Report, column 1415W for the income received in the years 2003-06 from fisheries in the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Since then, income from fisheries has been as follows:
| £ | |
Burma: Politics and Government
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment the Government have made of the political situation in Myanmar. [243683]
Bill Rammell: The military regime in Burma is determined to maintain its hold on power regardless of the cost and suffering of its people. The junta's ‘Roadmap to disciplined democracy', including a new constitution and elections planned for 2010, is designed to entrench military rule behind a facade of civilian government. The process excludes the opposition and meaningful participation by the ethnic groups. Fundamental rights are consistently ignored.
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