| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Jan 2009 : Column 1110W—continued
The calculations of tax, tax allowances and tax credits are done in the main IT systems for those taxes and tax credits. A number of these systems utilise the frameworks data.
No other Government Departments have access to Central Frameworks. However, HMRC do share names, addresses and NINO data from the Central Frameworks with DWP.
Departmental Surveys
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. [247923]
Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 22 July 2008, Official Report, column 1392W.
Economic Situation
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will adopt a public procurement policy to assist British companies during the current financial situation. [247090]
Angela Eagle: Public procurement is subject to EU and international regulations set in place to open up markets and prevent discrimination. The Government's procurement policy is to achieve value for money for the taxpayer, usually achieved through competition.
Within those policy and legal obligations the Government are committed to being a good customer to industry. Since publication of the Treasury report Transforming Government Procurement in 2007, a number of measures have been set in place to improve procurement capability and professionalism.
Specific measures implemented in response to the downturn include the announcement of a target for Government Departments to aim to pay all invoices within 10 working days. Also, the European Commission has announced a relaxation of the timescales under the public procurement rules to allow for faster procurement processes where this will be of benefit to industry in the current climate. These changes have been promulgated to purchasing authorities.
Landfill Tax
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the total tonnage of waste and (b) the revenue from landfill tax on waste sent to landfill in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008, broken down by (A) non-recyclable materials and (B) recyclable material in the form of (1) glass, (2) paper, (3) plastics, (4) organic waste, (5) wood, (6) metals, (7) textiles and (8) electronic items. [248046]
Angela Eagle: Total tonnage of waste and landfill tax receipts for 2006-07 and 2007-08 are published by HM Revenue and Customs at:
Please note the revenue figures for 2008 are not yet available. HM Revenue and Customs will publish these figures at the end of May. There are no data available for non-recyclable materials and recyclable materials that have been sent to landfill.
Members: Correspondence
Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead of 22 October 2008 on behalf of a constituent regarding economic difficulties. [247208]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues, there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Treasury hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
John Penrose: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letters of 15 October 2008 and 9 December 2008 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on his constituent Mr. Ian Wild. [248020]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Treasury hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 13 November 2008, on NDFA investments via Lehman Brothers Treasury Company BV, PO reference 1/63049/2008. [248396]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Treasury hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letters of 27 October and 9 December 2008 from the hon. Member for Forest of Dean, reference FD4347, regarding Kaupthing Isle of Man customers. [248524]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Treasury hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford’s letter of 13 October 2008, Treasury Reference: 5/03547/2008, concerning Mr S A Mack of Chelmsford; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply. [248584]
Ian Pearson: I have replied to the hon. Member. HM Treasury has received unusually high volumes of correspondence in recent months, and letters have taken longer than usual to respond to.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 25 November 2008 from the hon. Member for Walsall North on a constituent (ref: PO 5/03827/2008). [248918]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Treasury hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Mr. Shepherd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills of (a) 10 October 2008 in respect of Mr David Hill and Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander, (b) 13 October 2008 in respect of Castings PLC and Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander and (c) 16 October 2008 in respect of Mr Peter Sault and the Royal Bank of Scotland and Roywest Holdings. [249044]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Treasury hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Public Expenditure
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government’s public sector capital expenditure was in each year since 1997-98; and what the planned public sector capital expenditure is for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [247603]
Yvette Cooper: The Government set out their spending plans twice a year, in the Budget and the pre-Budget report. Latest figures on spending plans are published in Table B10 of PBR08. Outturns are reported monthly in the Public Sector Finance Release published jointly by HM Treasury and the Office for National Statistics.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government’s public sector current expenditure was in each year since 1997-98; and what the planned public sector current expenditure is for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [247604]
Yvette Cooper: The Government set out their spending plans twice a year, in the Budget and the pre-Budget report. Latest figures on spending plans are published in Table B10 of the 2008 pre-Budget report. Outturn against plans is reported monthly in the Public Sector Finance Release published jointly by HM Treasury and the Office for National Statistics.
Revenue and Customs: Yorkshire and the Humber
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the savings from the reorganisation of HM Revenue and Customs office space in Yorkshire and the Humber; and if he will make a statement. [247322]
Mr. Timms: The reorganisation of HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC's) office space in Yorkshire and the Humber will yield estimated annual estates savings of £12.6 million. These are however only part of the overall savings HMRC expects to achieve from the restructuring of its business and estate. The main reason for the reorganisation is to allow HMRC to achieve operational efficiencies and better customer service across the UK by consolidating staff and work in fewer locations and introducing new and more efficient working practices.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from local authorities on proposed tax office closures in Yorkshire and the Humber; and if he will make a statement. [247324]
Mr. Timms: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range 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 representations.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the HM Revenue and Customs reorganisation programme on levels of employment in Yorkshire and the Humber; and if he will make a statement. [247325]
Mr. Timms: HMRC is reorganising its business across the UK so that it can operate more efficiently, and provide better customer service, with fewer staff. Its offices in Yorkshire and the Humber have been reviewed as part of the programme to align estate with future business requirements. Staff in offices that are due to close will wherever possible relocate to one of the long-term locations. If they cannot do so, alternative redeployment options will be considered, including redeployment to another public service employer.
Tax Allowances: Self-Employed
Stephen Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse was of tax relief for training by the self-employed allowable under PAYE in 2007-08. [247546]
Mr. Timms: Training costs are an allowable expense against profits for the self-employed but the amount claimed is not separately identified on their self-assessment tax returns, so estimates of the cost are not available.
Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement between Cole Layer Trumble/Tyler Technologies and the organisation which acts as the agent of the Valuation Office Agency, redacting any commercially confidential information. [245959]
Mr. Timms: The Valuation Office Agency is not a party to the agreement and so is not able to provide a copy of it.
VAT: Sunscreens
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to reduce value added tax on suncare products which give children protection against the effects of the sun. [247086]
Mr. Timms: All taxes are kept under review and any changes are announced by the Chancellor as part of the Budget process.
The case for a VAT reduction for sun care products has been looked at carefully, but we consider the most effective approach to be the promotion of the broad range of precautions necessary for sun protection, not just sun care products, for example, through Government support for Cancer Research UK’s “SunSmart” skin cancer advice and awareness raising campaign.
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on proposals to reduce the rate of value added tax for suncare products; and if he will make a statement. [247087]
Mr. Timms: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals 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 representations.
Welfare Tax Credits
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families claiming tax credits in 2006-07 experienced an income increase of between (a) £2,500 and £5,000, (b) £5,001 and £7,500, (c) £7,501 and £10,000, (d) £10,001 and £15,000 and (e) £15,001 and £25,000. [249193]
Mr. Timms: The following table shows the average number of families who were claiming tax credits in 2006-07, split by income rise in each specified band.
| Income increase bands for 2006-07 finalised awards | |
| Income rise bandings (2005-06 to 2006-07) | Number of awards ( T housand) |
The income rise has been derived from the 2005-06 and 2006-07 incomes which were used to finalise the awards.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the documentation relating to the Tax Credit Transformation Programme. [249196]
Mr. Timms: Information on the programme has been published in a number of documents and reports, including:
Tax Credits: Improving delivery and choice—a discussion paper (May 2008)
Budget 2008 (March 2008)
HMRC Departmental Report 2008 (July 2008)
HMRC Autumn Performance Report 2008 (December 2008)
These documents can be found on HM Treasury and HMRC websites.
Duchy of Lancaster
Age: Hertfordshire
Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average age of (a) men and (b) women resident in (i) Hemel Hempstead and (ii) Hertfordshire was at the latest date for which information is available. [249064]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question on what the average age of (a) men and (b) women resident in (i) Hemel Hempstead and (ii) Hertfordshire was at the latest date for which information is available. (249064)
The median age of the resident male and female population in both Hemel Hempstead and Hertfordshire was 38 years and 40 years respectively. Data for Hemel Hempstead are based on mid-2006 population estimates by parliamentary constituency. Data for Hertfordshire are based on mid-2007 population estimates. These estimates are the latest available.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |