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10 Mar 2009 : Column 254W—continued
Departmental Finance
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to publish his Department’s next annual corporate plan. [260783]
Andy Burnham: The Department’s next annual corporate plan is due to be published in spring 2009.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons he has decided to take up his Department’s administration end year flexibility; and if he will make a statement. [258336]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 12 February 2009.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons he has taken up his Department’s end year flexibility for museums and galleries; and if he will make a statement. [258338]
Barbara Follett: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement of 12 February 2009.
National Lottery
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to his Department’s most recent simplification plan, what (a) joint schemes and (b) rationalisation of programmes relating to the National Lottery have been introduced. [261616]
Barbara Follett: The information requested is as follows.
(a) Joint schemes allow National Lottery distributors to pool resources and funding powers to facilitate the delivery of a single distribution scheme and are subject to provisions outlined in the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 (as amended). This requires distributors wishing to participate in a joint scheme to apply in writing to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Since 2006, when the first DCMS simplification plan was published, the Secretary of State has approved:
The Awards for All (England) joint scheme (authorisation) Order 2007, which extended the Awards for All (England) joint scheme to 31 March 2009; and
The Parks for People (England) joint scheme (authorisation) Order 2008, which extended the Parks for People (England) joint scheme to 31 March 2015.
(b) Lottery Distributors regularly review and rationalise all their funding programmes, taking into account policy directions issued by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. Most recently, the Big Lottery Fund carried out a major public consultation, the views from which will help it to frame its funding strategy between 2009-15.
Olympic Games 2012: Finance
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from which programme budgets his Department has transferred funds to assist with the costs of the Government Olympic Executive. [258335]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 12 February 2009.
Parks: Greater London
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department takes steps to estimate the proportion of users of (a) Richmond Park and (b) Bushy Park in each (i) ethnic group and (ii) income group. [262251]
Barbara Follett: The Royal Parks advise that they run an ongoing programme of research looking at visitor profiles in all the Royal Parks, including Bushy and Richmond. The studies include data on ethnicity and socio-economic status. In addition, an in-depth study which compared park usage to detailed profiles for the wards bordering and close to the parks was undertaken in 2006.
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of the proposed car park charging regime in (a) Richmond Park and (b) Bushy Park on levels of usage of each park by people from low income households; and if he will make a statement. [262252]
Barbara Follett: The Royal Parks advise that a draft impact assessment has been produced as part of the consultation exercise into possible changes to the park regulations and published on The Royal Parks’ website. The consultation expressly seeks views on the level of charges. The responses will help inform the impact of introducing a charging regime.
I understand that a copy of the consultation document and draft impact assessment was sent to the hon. Member on 30 January.
Treasury
Banks: Iceland
Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guarantees he had received from the Icelandic authorities on the security of deposits held in Icelandic banks by UK citizens and corporations at the time that the UK agreed to support an International Monetary Fund loan to Iceland. [262716]
Ian Pearson: On 19 November the IMF announced the approval of a $2.1 billion two-year loan for Iceland to support an economic recovery programme to help Iceland restore confidence in its banking system and stabilise its currency. This includes Iceland's commitment to “ensuring the fair and equitable treatment of depositors and creditors of the intervened banks” and Iceland's recognition of its obligations to depositors under the EC Deposit Guarantee Scheme Directive.
Banks: Loans
Ms Keeble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that banks in receipt of public money maintain their lending on mortgages and to businesses at 2007 levels; and if he will make a statement. [261649]
Ian Pearson:
On 8 October 2008 the Government announced measures to support the stability of the financial system, protect ordinary savers, depositors,
businesses and borrowers, and to safeguard the interests of the taxpayer. Details are available at:
As part of their investment, the Government have agreed with the banks supported by the recapitalisation scheme a range of commitments. These include agreements to maintain, over the next three years, the availability and active marketing of competitively-priced lending to home owners and small businesses at 2007 levels.
The Government's shareholdings in the banks supported by the recapitalisation scheme will be managed on a commercial basis by an arm's length company, UK Financial Investments Ltd. (UKFI). UKFI's objective is 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.
On 19 January 2009, the Government announced further measures designed to reinforce the stability of the financial system, to increase confidence and capacity to lend, and in turn to support the recovery of the economy. These build on the measures announced on 8 October last year. Further information is available at:
The Government will negotiate quantified lending agreements with the banks participating in the Asset Protection Scheme and extended Credit Guarantee Scheme as announced in January this year. As the Chancellor set out on 26 February in his statement to Parliament, Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed a lending agreement with the Government.
The Government will report to Parliament annually on the delivery of these agreements.
Bradford and Bingley
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when plans to take Bradford and Bingley into public ownership were first considered by Ministers. [261409]
Ian Pearson: The Tripartite Authorities maintain contingency plans for dealing with financial institutions which contain a number of possible scenarios and have a range of possible options including public support. The plan used was formulated from these contingency plans.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Bradford and Bingley plc Transfer of Securities and Property etc (Amendment) Order 2009, dated 19 February 2009, whether his Department plans to compensate the shareholders of Bradford and Bingley plc on the same basis as proposed in the Bradford and Bingley Compensation Scheme Order 2008. [261535]
Ian Pearson: The purpose of the Bradford and Bingley plc Transfer of Securities and Property etc. (Amendment) Order 2009 is to provide clarity in relation to the circumstances in which principal and interest on the dated subordinated notes issued by Bradford and Bingley will become due and payable.
It makes no change to the arrangements to compensate former shareholders of Bradford and Bingley as set out in the Bradford and Bingley Compensation Scheme Order 2008.
For the hon. Member's information the Treasury has also laid before Parliament a draft order entitled the Bradford and Bingley plc Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Order 2009. The effect of the amendment made by article 2 of the draft order is to ensure that the independent valuer appointed in accordance with the Bradford and Bingley plc Compensation Scheme Order 2008 must assess any compensation payable for any interferences in a person's consequential rights taking into account the amendments made by the Bradford and Bingley plc.
Transfer of Securities and Property etc. (Amendment) Order 2009. The draft Order was laid before Parliament on 25 February 2009, and is expected to be debated later this month.
Budgets
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision HM Revenue and Customs has made for early implementation in the 2009-10 financial year of any changes resulting from the 2009 Budget. [261597]
Mr. Timms: HMRC stands ready to implement the tax policies of the Government whenever they are announced.
Business: Wales
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Wales have applied to defer their tax bills in each of the last six months; and how many have been (a) granted and (b) refused deferment in each month. [261933]
Mr. Timms: Under the Business Payment Support Service Since, introduced on 24 November 2008, 3,590 businesses in Wales have agreed terms with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to defer payments of tax; 120 businesses were not able to agree terms with HMRC and 405 businesses were, as of 1 March 2009, still in negotiation with HMRC. Information is not available by month.
Information about other circumstances where HMRC may consider a proposal to defer tax is not available.
Corporate Governance of UK Banking Industry Review
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria were adopted in choosing Sir David Walker to chair the review into corporate governance of British banking; whether he assessed any other candidate for the position; what remuneration Sir David will receive for his chairmanship; what powers Sir David will have to call for persons and papers in evidence; what factors he took into account in determining the review’s timescale; and if he will ask Sir David to report on remuneration packages before completion of his full report. [256837]
Ian Pearson: Sir David Walker was selected to undertake a review into corporate governance of UK banks on the basis of his strong understanding of the issues of corporate governance, board practices, financial markets and relationships with institutional shareholders. As a former regulator and director, Sir David has the blend and level of experience necessary to deal with the issues of bank corporate governance in this review. Sir David will not be remunerated for conducting this review.
The Government do not intend to give Sir David any powers to call people or persons for evidential purposes.
The review time scale was decided on the basis that this is a highly complex area and one which requires a thorough and detailed investigation so as to fully examine failures in respect of corporate governance and make policy recommendations for addressing these.
The review will report jointly to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury with preliminary conclusions by the autumn and final recommendations by the end of the year. At this stage the Government are not intending that Sir David should report on remuneration packages outside of these time scales.
Sir David will, of course, take submissions from interested parties in carrying out the review.
Delivery Unit
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were working in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit at the latest date for which figures are available. [250491]
Angela Eagle: The number of staff working in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit at the latest date when figures were available was 37.
Departmental Telephone Services
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use (a) his Department and (b) service providers under contract to his Department make of (i) 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers and (ii) revenue-sharing telephone numbers for calls from members of the public; for which services such numbers are used; what prefixes are used for revenue-sharing numbers; how much revenue has accrued from revenue-sharing numbers in each of the last five years; what consideration his Department has given to introducing 03-prefixed telephone numbers for calls to all such services; and if he will make a statement. [247350]
Angela Eagle: The Treasury Group does not use any revenue sharing telephone numbers.
Treasury Group organisations provide 0845 numbers for both internal and external facing services, including:
internal service desks for IT and facilities management for Treasury employees;
the OGC Service Desk, providing support on Office of Government Commerce matters to members of the public, and to private and public sector organisations;
seventeen 0845 numbers advertised on the website of the UK Debt Management Office (DMO), which are generally available for use by callers to the DMO for business continuity purposes.
The Treasury is currently reviewing its strategies for delivery of its services, which includes consideration of whether a move to using 03-prefixed telephone numbers would provide a better value service. DMO also plans to consider this in its next planning round.
Environment Protection: Industry
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what targeted assistance he is providing to green industries affected by the recession. [261640]
Angela Eagle: The Government recognise that current difficult economic circumstances may cause difficulties for companies and are monitoring the situation closely.
In the Pre-Budget Report the Government announced that they were providing £535 million of accelerated capital spending to support their environmental objectives and promote low carbon growth. This included £100 million of new funding for Warm Front which will provide a boost to the insulation and heating industries and the extension of the Renewable Obligation until 2037 to provide support and confidence to investors in renewable electricity.
Government have also taken measures to recapitalise the financial sector and also recently announced a package of support to address the cash flow, credit and capital needs of smaller businesses. Taken together these measures will provide a significant boost to companies seeking finance.
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