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16 Jun 2009 : Column 246W—continued
Ian Pearson:
The Government recognise that low interest rates, which are benefiting many people with mortgages, have meant that savers have seen their return from savings fall. In particular, this has affected people who are retired, or are approaching retirement, who are often more reliant on their savings income to meet day-to-day needs or fund discretionary purchases. As announced in Budget 2009, the Government are therefore taking targeted action now to help people aged 50 and
over with their savings. The ISA limits are being raised for those aged 50 and over from 2009-10, enabling them to move more of their savings into a tax-advantaged ISA, rewarding those who have saved by improving their returns. The Government also recognise that people need to be supported to save as the economy emerges from the downturn, and therefore the ISA limits will increase to the same level for all savers from April 2010.
Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to increase annually the maximum permissible annual investment in individual savings accounts. [280049]
Ian Pearson: All savings incentives are kept under review. The current ISA limits mean that the majority of people can hold all of their savings in a tax-advantaged way.
As announced at Budget 2009 the limit will increase to £10,200 for those aged 50 and over on 6 October 2009, and for all savers from 6 April 2010.
Members: Correspondence
Sir George Young: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Economic Secretary to the Treasury plans to respond to the letters from the right hon. Member for North West Hampshire of 17 December 2008 and 30 January, 26 February, 9 April and 28 May 2009 on the Royal Air Force Association and Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander. [279034]
Kitty Ussher: A reply has been sent to the right hon. Member.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 23 April 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Christina Angelina. [280440]
Ian Pearson: Receipt of the correspondence could not be traced. A request has been made to my right hon. Friend’s office for a copy.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the costs and benefits of schemes under the Private Finance Initiative. [279984]
Ian Pearson: HM Treasury's Green Book
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/data_greenbook _guidance.htm
states that all new policies, programmes and projects should be subject to comprehensive assessment, including an appraisal of value for money.
Private finance initiative projects are required further to test value for money using tailored qualitative and quantitative appraisals which must form part of the project's business case
Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any debt collection work contracted out by HM Revenue and Customs is undertaken by unregistered bailiffs. [279241]
Mr. Timms: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 27 February 2009, Official R eport , column 1181W.
HM Revenue and Customs is currently carrying out a small scale six-month trial to test the use of private debt collection agencies (DCAs). The trial does not involve face to face contact or visits to home or business premises. The DCAs being used by HMRC as part of this trial are not bailiffs.
Taxation
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the evidential basis is for his forecast that the introduction of a process of personal tax accountability for senior accounting officers of large companies will result in an Exchequer yield of £40 million in 2010-11 and £50 million in 2011-12. [279256]
Mr. Timms: The forecast represents a cautious view of improved compliance. The evidential basis for the forecast came from a review of compliance issues within the group likely to be impacted and a cautious assessment of the behavioural impact of reinforcing senior accounting officer accountability.
Taxation: Gaming Machines
Mr. Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the introduction of a gross profit tax to replace amusement machine licence duty system; and if he will make a statement. [279743]
Kitty Ussher: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Taxation: Housing
Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate has been made of the percentage of stamp duty receipts which will be derived from (a) residential properties, (b) commercial properties and (c) shares in each of the next three years; [271562]
(2) what percentage of stamp duty receipts were derived from (a) residential properties, (b) commercial properties and (c) shares in (i) each of the last 12 quarters and (ii) each year since 1997. [271663]
Kitty Ussher: The available breakdowns are given in the following table:
| Annual estimates from 1997-98 and quarterly estimates from 2006 (Q 2 ) | |||
| Stamp taxes on residential properties | Stamp taxes on commercial properties | Stamp duty on shares | |
| Percentage | |||
Quarterly receipts information is only published for stamp duties as a whole and is given for the requested quarters at:
Forecasts are also only published for stamp duties as a whole and forecasts for the next three years are available in table 2.9 of the publication Budget 2009: the economy and public finances—supplementary material, found at:
Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what projections have been made for (a) stamp duty land tax and (b) housing sector corporation tax receipts in each of the next two years. [275661]
Ian Pearson: The forecast of stamp duties for 2009-10 and 2010-11 is given in table 2.9 of the Budget 2009 supplementary report on the economy and public finances, available at
It is not possible to estimate corporation tax receipts for the housing sector and it is therefore not possible to make any corporation tax projections of receipts from the housing sector.
Taxation: Repayments
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the timeliness of HM Revenue and Customs’ repayments of over-paid tax to taxpayers. [280249]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 11 June 2009, Official Report, column 982-83W, to the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies).
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to answer Question 273420, on IR35 investigations, tabled on 30 April 2009. [280140]
Kitty Ussher: I have replied to my hon. Friend.
Justice
Prisoners Maintaining Innocence
12. Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the number of people in prison who maintain their innocence. [279676]
Maria Eagle: The information requested is not held collected centrally. A person who believes they have been the victim of a miscarriage of justice can appeal against their conviction. If the appeal is unsuccessful the criminal cases review commission can be asked to review the case. The commission has the power to refer a conviction to the appeal court.
Offenders Unlawfully At Large
13. Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offences have been committed by offenders unlawfully at large since 1997. [279677]
Maria Eagle: There is no central record of the number of offences committed by offenders who are, for whatever reason, unlawfully at large. All such offenders are placed on the Police National Computer. Should they come to the adverse notice of the police, they are liable to be arrested and returned to custody.
The results of an audit of the number of offenders whose licences were revoked up to 30 June 2008 and who are not recorded as having been returned to custody will be published, for the first time, shortly.
Legal Aid: Human Rights Cases
14. John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to reduce the amount of legal aid provided to prisoners claiming breaches of their human rights. [279678]
Bridget Prentice: The Government are currently considering the funding criteria to ensure that resources are being appropriately targeted on priority cases. However, it is important that the public have access to legal aid, where appropriate, to help them to enforce their legal rights.
Prison Locations
15. Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to decide on the location of each of the remaining three planned prisons. [279679]
Maria Eagle: We are planning to locate the remaining 1,500 place prisons in those regions there is the greatest need, and intend to restart our site search shortly.
Hillsborough Disaster
16. Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions his Department has had with the Home Department on the release of files and documents held by his Department relating to the Hillsborough disaster. [279680]
Mr. Wills: My right hon. Friend, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has discussed this important issue with my hon. Friends, the Home Secretary and the Culture Secretary, with a view to ensuring that relevant information is appropriately released.
This is a sensitive matter. We need to handle it carefully and with consideration, particularly for the families closely connected to the tragic events at Hillsborough.
Freedom Act of Information Act 2000
17. Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he has made in his review of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [279682]
Mr. Wills: In the Prime Minister's statement on Constitutional Renewal on 10 June, he emphasised our plans to look at broadening the application of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and reducing the time taken to release official documents.
We are considering carefully the responses to the public consultation on extending the Act through a section 5 order. This could include within the scope of the Act bodies performing functions of a public nature and contractors providing services that are functions of public authorities. We will publish our response to the section 5 consultation shortly.
In his statement, the Prime Minister also announced the reduction in the 30-year rule to 20 years. Our detailed response to the 30-year rule review will be published by the summer.
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