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26 Jan 2009 : Column 135W—continued
Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional revenue he expects to raise from the proposed 45 per cent. income tax band over the next three financial years. [250341]
Mr. Timms: The Exchequer effect for the next three tax years is shown in Table 1.2 of pre-Budget report, November 2008.
Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander: Isle of Man
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many UK citizens he estimates have lost their
savings as a result of the collapse of Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man bank. [247847]
Ian Pearson: The UK Government and the Financial Services Authority do not hold such information.
Arrangements for depositors in banks in the Isle of Man are a matter for the Government of the Isle of Man.
Knowledge Network Project
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answers of 24 January 2008, Official Report, column 2134W, and 10 March 2008, Official Report, column 124W, on the Knowledge Network Project, if he will place in the Library a copy of the user manuals or guidance given to civil servants on using the Knowledge Network. [250543]
Angela Eagle: The user manuals or guidance on the Knowledge Network Project are produced by the owners, and not by OGCbuying.solutions, therefore copies are not held centrally.
Local Government: Waste Management
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effects on local authorities’ expenditure on landfill waste of reductions in recycling levels in the current economic situation. [247617]
Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
The effects of the current downturn in recycling markets on local authority expenditure depend on a number of factors and we have not yet made such an estimate. But according to the best available information, there has been no significant increase to date in the use of landfill, and I would like to congratulate local authorities and householders for the efforts they are making to keep recycling going in present circumstances. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely in liaison with the Local Government Association, the Waste and Resources Action Programme, the Environment Agency, the waste management industry and others.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letters of 16 October and 15 December 2008 from the hon. Member for Billericay on a constituent, Mr. Tony Lowe. [250722]
Mr. Timms: I replied to the hon. Member on 20 January 2009.
National Insurance
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many national insurance cards were reported lost or stolen in the last 12 months; and how many valid national insurance cards there were in that period. [250501]
Mr. Timms: A breakdown of the number of national insurance (NI) cards reported lost or stolen in the last 12 months is not held. It is also not possible to state how many valid NI cards are in circulation; controls are in place but as NI cards are purely for notification they are not treated as secure items.
National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people ineligible to purchase voluntary national insurance contributions in respect of tax years (a) 1996-97 and (b) 2001-02 were sent information on the schemes for those years. [251158]
Mr. Timms: HMRC sends this information to people it considers eligible. While some ineligible people will receive it inadvertently, no data are available on how many.
Stamp Duty
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future of stamp duty; and if he will make a statement. [250662]
Ian Pearson: Stamp duty, like all other taxes, is kept under review.
UK Financial Investments
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the functions of UK Financial Investments are. [249911]
Ian Pearson: The overarching objectives for UKFI will be to protect and create value for the taxpayer as shareholder with due regard to the maintenance of financial stability and to act in a way that promotes competition. More details can be found in the letter dated 3 November from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Chair of the Treasury Committee which is available in the House of Commons’ Library.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the budget of UK Financial Investments is for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10; [249913]
(2) how many staff UK Financial Investments employs at each pay grade; and how many staff it plans to recruit in the next 12 months; [249914]
(3) which third party advisers have been contracted to advise UK Financial Investments on the management of its holdings in UK banks; [249915]
(4) what (a) business plan and (b) share management strategy has been put in place for UK Financial Investments; and if he will make a statement. [249969]
Ian Pearson: UKFI’s annual accounts as well as HM Treasury’s annual accounts will be laid before Parliament. In addition, the Chairman and Chief Executive of UKFI will make themselves available for scrutiny by the relevant parliamentary Committees.
UK Financial Investments Ltd.: Freedom of Information
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether UK Financial Investments Ltd. will be subject to the provisions of (a) the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (b) the Environmental Information Regulations provisions; and whether it is a non-departmental public body. [250517]
Ian Pearson: As it is a publicly owned company, UK Financial Investments Ltd. (UKFI) is a ‘public authority’ as defined by s. 6(1) of the Freedom of Information Act and also as defined by regulation 2(2) (b) of the Environmental Information Regulations when read together with s. 3(1) (b) of the Freedom of Information Act.
UK Financial Investments Ltd.: Manpower
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants have been assigned to work for UK Financial Investments Ltd. [250516]
Ian Pearson: UK Financial Investments Ltd. is not part of the civil service, but a small number of civil servants (around five) are expected to be seconded into it.
VAT
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of value added tax due to the Exchequer between the date of the reduction of the rate to 15 per cent. and the latest date for which figures are available. [250061]
Mr. Timms: Monthly VAT receipts are available from the VAT National Statistics Bulletin published at:
VAT: Local Government
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policy of the European Court of Justice ruling on value added tax liability and local authority services. [250520]
Mr. Timms: The Government are aware of only one European Court of Justice ruling on VAT liability and local authority services. This concerns off-sheet car park charges. The Government are considering the implications of the European Court of Justice ruling in this case. However, the matter has now been referred back to the High Court for judgment, and it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment while litigation is continuing.
Children, Schools and Families
Informal Testing
10. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his Department has issued on levels of informal pupil testing in schools. [250617]
Ed Balls: The use of informal tests is a matter for schools and, while advice and support is available, my Department does not issue formal guidance.
Testing and Assessment
11. Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the testing and assessment regime for schoolchildren; and if he will make a statement. [250618]
18. Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the educational testing and assessment regime. [250625]
Jim Knight: Ofqual monitors standards of qualifications and assessments. They reported in July that standards are being maintained.
Our recent decisions on assessment took full account of the Select Committee’s recommendations. The Making Good Progress pilot is trialling new approaches to assessment. The Expert Group is taking views from a range of stakeholders before advising on improvements to assessment arrangements. We expect to respond shortly to Lord Sutherland’s report, published on 16 December, and to implement the recommendations in full.
National Challenge
12. Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effects of transience on strategies for National Challenge schools. [250619]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I am aware that transience—or in-year pupil mobility—causes particular difficulties in some schools especially, but not exclusively, in seaside communities. The National Challenge is designed to tackle all the barriers to learning associated with deprivation, and therefore reduce low educational attainment. Individual schools are being supported with fresh resources under the National Challenge—each according to specific local need, including any problems of pupil transience.
19. Mr. Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent progress has been made on agreeing proposals for improvement plans in connection with the National Challenge; and if he will make a statement. [250626]
Jim Knight: We have worked closely with local authorities to develop their plans to support schools in the National Challenge. We have agreed plans for 91 local authorities amounting to £52 million of the £400 million National Challenge funding and we expect to agree plans for the remaining four local authorities shortly. In addition, City Challenge authorities in London, Manchester and the black country continue to work with their advisers to develop school improvement plans under existing arrangements.
Building Schools for the Future
13. Ms Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for the future of the Building Schools for the Future programme. [250620]
Jim Knight: Next month, I aim to publish the revised national programme for Building Schools for the Future, which prioritises the expressions of interest submitted in November by authorities, in line with our published criteria. This will include priority projects for 70 authorities not yet started in the programme, including Brighton and Hove. Partnerships for Schools will approach the most highly prioritised projects for evidence that they are ready to deliver and to join the programme.
15. Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to announce the results of the latest round of bids for funding under the Building Schools for the Future programme. [250622]
Jim Knight: Next month, I aim to publish the revised national programme for Building Schools for the Future, which prioritises the expressions of interest submitted in November by authorities, in line with our published criteria. This will include priority projects for 70 authorities not yet started in the programme, including Stockport. Partnerships for Schools will approach the most highly prioritised projects for evidence that they are ready to deliver and to join the programme.
20. Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for spending on the Building Schools for the Future programme in the next three years. [250627]
Jim Knight: Next month, I aim to publish the revised national programme for Building Schools for the Future, which prioritises the expressions of interest submitted in November by authorities, in line with our published criteria. This will include priority projects for 70 authorities not yet started in the programme, including Plymouth. Partnerships for Schools will approach the most highly prioritised projects for evidence that they are ready to deliver and to join the programme.
23. Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proposals he has to bring forward spending under the Building Schools for the Future programme. [250630]
Jim Knight: The Government are aiming to bring forward some of schools capital expenditure due in 2010-11 into financial year 2009-10, to stimulate the economy during the current economic downturn. However, because of the strategic planning that underpins Building Schools for the Future, it would be unsuitable for bringing forward in this way. BSF typically involves the design and build of entire new schools which are simply less suitable for bringing forward quickly for construction in a 12 month period.
Children's Services: Transparency
16. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to promote transparency in provision of children’s services. [250623]
Beverley Hughes: Local authorities are required to publish—following consultation—a Children and Young People’s Plan for all services affecting children, young people and families in a local area. They must also publish a Local Area Agreement setting out targets related to all the local priorities for the area, including for children, young people and families. The performance of the local area’s services for children, young people and families is assessed by the relevant inspectorates, which report publicly.
Entrepreneurs and Schools
17. John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to encourage links between entrepreneurs and schools. [250624]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government are investing £210 million in enterprise education from 2008-11, providing all secondary schools with the resource to help young people be creative and innovative, to take and manage risks. This investment also funds a network to support schools and Young Chambers which bring together chambers of commerce, businesses, teachers and young people to develop enterprise initiatives within schools. A National Skills Academy for Enterprise is being set up with the Peter Jones Foundation.
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