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27 Feb 2009 : Column 1189W—continued
Mr. Timms:
An individual’s residence status for tax purposes is not a matter of simply counting days in the UK. Individuals who can demonstrate that they have
left the UK permanently or indefinitely, for example because they either work full-time abroad for at least a complete tax year or have left the UK for at least three years, will be treated as not resident and not ordinarily resident for income tax purposes from the day after the date of their departure. Once non-resident, individuals can then normally spend up to 182 days in the UK in any tax year and up to 90 days in a tax year on average, taken over a maximum of four tax years and still continue to be treated as not resident.
Individuals who normally live in the UK or who cannot prove that they have left the UK and are absent for shorter periods will continue to be resident in the UK, even if they spend less than 183 days in the UK in any tax year or less than 91 days on average.
Since summer 2008, officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs have been consulting with a group of key external stakeholders (representing a wide variety of interests including low income groups) to explore the feasibility of putting the test for tax residence on a statutory basis.
Taxation: Foreigners
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of revenue foregone by the Exchequer in exempting from capital gains tax income from sales of UK property by foreign nationals not domiciled in the UK. [258494]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is not available.
Taxation: Housing
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been received by the Exchequer from property-related taxes in the last (a) 12 and (b) 24 months. [258402]
Mr. Timms: Revenue from taxes targeted at the transfer or use of land or buildings is provided in this reply. These are stamp duty land tax and business rates.
In 2007 the amount of stamp duty land tax collected was £10.4 billion and in 2008 the amount collected was £6.0 billion.
Published figures for business rates collected in Great Britain are available for financial years and were given for 2007-08 and 2008-09 in table B13 of the PBR report. Figures for the two constituent six-month periods of 2008-09 were also given in table B12.
Valuation Office
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 6 May 2008, Official Report, column 829W, on the Valuation Office: Northern Ireland and Property Services, if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each of the eight meetings. [258497]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) on 24 November 2008, Official Report, column 964W.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 12 January 2009, Official Report, column 348W, on the Valuation Office, what each of the Valuation Office Agency’s (a) regular management meetings and (b) project boards is. [258499]
Mr. Timms: The Valuation Office Agency:
(a) Does not keep a central record of regular management meetings throughout its organisation. To assemble detailed information would involve disproportionate cost.
(b) Has project boards overseeing the following main activities:
Accommodation rationalisation
Centralisation of routine processing and administrative activities
Electronic capture of hard copy records
Installation of a geographical information system
Update of the information technology platforms (“technical refresh”)
Wireless-enabled technology
Asset valuation software
Non-domestic rating revaluation 2010
Merger between the VOA and The Rent Service
Valuation Office: Databases
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what databases are (a) owned and (b) maintained by or on behalf of the Valuation Office Agency. [258399]
Mr. Timms: The Valuation Office Agency owns and maintains a wide variety of databases to support its work.
Valuation Office: Procurement
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 6 May 2008, Official Report, column 829W, on the Valuation Office: procurement, what the financial threshold is above which a purchase order is required for representatives of the Valuation Office Agency to procure goods and services. [258272]
Mr. Timms: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) operates a policy that requires purchase orders to be raised in nearly all cases. Exceptions to this are for local, one-off purchases or where the procurement is sourced through a specific dedicated portal.
Valuation Office: Rightmove
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to date has been of the contract between HM Revenue and Customs on behalf of the Valuation Office Agency and Rightmove.co.uk plc. [258400]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) on 22 February 2008, Official Report, column 118W. Expenditure in the year 2008-09 will be available in the Valuation Office Agency’s annual report and accounts, when published.
VAT
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether value added tax (VAT) is charged on VAT-liable items in HM Treasury building (a) vending machines and (b) staff canteens; and whether retail prices on such VAT-liable items have been reduced since December 2008. [258374]
Angela Eagle: The value added tax element in retail prices in HM Treasury building vending machines and the staff canteen was reduced to 15 per cent. with effect from 1 December 2008.
Working Tax Credit
John Mason: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of shortened working hours as a result of the recession on claimants of working tax credits. [259218]
Mr. Timms: Tax credits are a flexible, responsive system of financial support that adjusts to people's circumstances. Shortened working hours that have the effect of reducing a household's income may lead to a higher tax credits award, provided that the household continues to meet the normal eligibility conditions for tax credits.
In December 2008, 412,000 households were benefiting from an increased tax credits award because of a fall in income compared to their previous year's income. To receive any additional support, households need only notify HMRC of their changed circumstances.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account UK forces in Afghanistan have taken of the concerns about Afghan civilian casualties expressed by the Secretary General of the United Nations; and what steps are being taken to minimise such casualties. [256248]
Bill Rammell: We share the Secretary-General’s concerns about civilian casualties, the vast majority of which are caused by the insurgency. We do everything we can to avoid civilian casualties but, despite our efforts to specifically target the insurgents, there are times when the ordinary people of Afghanistan are harmed by the conflict.
We are deeply saddened by any civilian deaths in Afghanistan. We particularly regret incidents where civilians are killed as a result of actions by international forces.
We continue to take incidents of civilian casualties very seriously. They present a real risk to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and international forces’ presence and support in Afghanistan. ISAF has made strenuous efforts to reduce incidents. The UK welcomes the recent Tactical directive from the commander of ISAF which further tightens the rules of engagement in Afghanistan to cut civilian casualties. The new rules stress the need for proportionate use of force and for Afghan forces to take the lead in searching Afghan homes and religious sites unless a clear danger is identified.
Animals
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of staff within his Department deal with animal-related matters as part of their overall remit. [256644]
Gillian Merron: This information is not held centrally, and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Arms Trade: Treaties
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to include the Arms Trade treaty process on the agenda for the forthcoming G20 summit in London. [255730]
Bill Rammell: The agenda for the London summit meeting is still under consideration with participants. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will continue to raise the Arms Trade treaty at appropriate opportunities in international meetings.
Asia: Diplomatic Service
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) remit and (b) responsibilities of his Department's Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan are. [256956]
David Miliband: The Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan will focus on the cross-cutting issues facing both the UK and Afghan governments, such as countering extremism. His remit will include working with other key Government Departments engaged on Afghanistan and Pakistan, working closely with his US counterpart, ambassador Richard Holbrooke in developing international consensus and support for the Afghan and Pakistani governments, in conjunction with our ambassador in Kabul and high commissioner in Islamabad. The Special Representative will report to the Foreign Secretary.
Caribbean: Crime
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle drug trafficking in the British Overseas Territories of (a) Anguilla, (b) Montserrat and (c) the Turks and Caicos Islands. [256524]
Gillian Merron: Through the Governors of the respective Territories we work closely with the local police forces to help them develop and implement strategies to counter drug trafficking. Where appropriate we have provided financial support for these strategies, for example by providing co-funding for three retired UK police officers to establish the Drugs and Crime Task Force in Anguilla. We also support initiatives for cross territory and wider regional collaboration.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to minimise the potential for money laundering to occur in the British Overseas Territories of (a) Anguilla, (b) Montserrat and (c) the Turks and Caicos Islands. [256525]
Gillian Merron: My officials are working with regulators, police investigators and prosecutors in the Overseas Territories (OT) and have drawn up action plans tailored to each of the OT, which include projects to strengthen regulatory systems, laws and expertise. They also take into account independent evaluations of anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing systems by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).
Departmental funding has been used to strengthen the Financial Crime Unit in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and to update the proceeds of crime law. Similar projects are underway in Anguilla and Montserrat. In addition, the Department is part-funding the new head of the Anguilla Financial Intelligence Unit, which has brought about increases in the reporting and investigation of suspected financial crimes. Training for financial investigators from Anguilla and Montserrat has been arranged and external consultants are helping to boost supervisory practice in these Territories. We are also working with the authorities in TCI to help them to respond to the recommendations in the November 2008 CFATF mutual evaluation report. We are working with Anguilla and Montserrat to help them prepare for their CFATF evaluations later this year.
Central African Republic: Overseas Aid
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department plans to offer to the new government of national unity in the Central African Republic. [256846]
Gillian Merron: The UK welcomed the formation of a unity government in the Central African Republic (CAR) on 19 January 2009, following the outcome of the Inclusive Political Dialogue.
The UN Peace Building Commission will now assist national authorities in driving forward core peace building priorities, and ensuring that international attention remains focused. Linked to this, the Peace Building Fund—to which the UK is the largest contributor with £30 million over three years—is providing funding for projects in the areas of security sector reform, (including disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration), rule of law and good governance.
Alongside multinational efforts to support the new government and increase development in CAR, the UK is providing more than £2.2 million to support humanitarian activities in 2008-09. This money is being spent on bringing clean water, sanitation facilities, food, farming equipment and basic medicines and health care to those most in need, as well as providing protection to civilians affected by armed conflict.
Colonies: UN Resolutions
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to monitor the implementation of UN General Assembly Resolution 63/110 on Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. [256527]
Gillian Merron: This is a twofold process: The UK carefully examines the UN Secretariat's reports to the General Assembly's Fourth Committee. The UK also continues to fulfil its obligations to the Overseas Territories under the UN Charter.
The UK's relationship with its Overseas Territories is a modern one based on partnership. The UK is committed to the future development and continued security of the Overseas Territories for as long as the Territories choose to retain their link to the UK. The UK has no intention of imposing independence against the will of the peoples concerned, whilst the established policy of successive Governments has been to give every help and encouragement to those Territories which wished to proceed to independence, where it is an option.
Conflict Resolution
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms has received as part of his dialogue with (a) the United Nations, (b) the EU, (c) the African Union and (d) others, broken down by type of representations; and on which dates each such representation was received. [256828]
Bill Rammell [holding answer 12 February 2009]: The right hon. Jack McConnell MSP, the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms is based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He met officials from the European Council, European Commission and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on 9-10 December 2008 in Brussels and from the United Nations on 15-16 December 2008 in New York. Mr. McConnell also met EU officials on 2-3 February 2009 in Bosnia. He plans to meet officials from the African Union shortly.
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