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18 Jun 2009 : Column 442W—continued
Business: Government Assistance
John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any consortiums have requested loans from his Department's Infrastructure Finance Unit. [280094]
Ian Pearson: The Manchester Waste Authority, through DEFRA, requested a loan for their project. The Treasury's Infrastructure Finance Unit (TIFU) provided £120 million, which contributed to the project reaching financial close on 8 April.
Financial Ombudsman Service
Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the time taken by the Financial Ombudsman Service to deal with complaints; what monitoring takes place of the time taken by the Financial Ombudsman Service to respond to complaints; and if he will make a statement. [280917]
Mr. Timms: The Government have received representations regarding the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) following a sudden and unprecedented influx of cases about payment protection insurance and credit card charges, which has meant that waiting times at the FOS are currently longer than the FOS and its users would like.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) approves the budget of the FOS and has a duty to ensure that the FOS is at all times capable of exercising its functions. The FSA has approved an increase in the FOS' budget enabling it to implement a range of initiatives to deal with this influx and the FOS is confident that the FOS will be able to work through these challenges effectively in the months ahead.
Financial Services: Carbon Emissions
Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK's international financial services sector is globally competitive in carbon trading. [280331]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government are committed to ensuring that the UK’s international financial services industry remains an essential and important part of the global economy. The UK is globally competitive in carbon trading, hosting over 50 per cent. of volume of the global carbon market. In line with broader commitments to fair, stable and efficient financial markets, the Government have recently introduced legislation to improve the efficiency and accessibility of UK carbon auctions, as set out in Budget 2009. The Government also have a business advice office to support and promote UK private sector involvement in the international carbon market.
Financial Services: EU Action
Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where the headquarters of the (a) European Systemic Risk Board and (b) European System of Financial Supervisors will be. [280234]
Ian Pearson: The Chancellor will be discussing strengthening EU regulatory and supervisory arrangements with European colleagues over the coming months.
Landfill Tax
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2009, Official Report, column 910W, on taxation: construction, if he will take into account the environmental impact of sourcing of the construction materials that become landfill waste in determining levels of landfill tax; and if he will make a statement. [280201]
Mr. Timms:
In addition to the lower rate of landfill tax for inert waste, the Government introduced the aggregates levy in 2002 with the primary objective of internalising the environmental costs of quarrying on commercially exploited rock, sand and gravel. The levy encourages the use of recycled aggregates and alternative materials. The levy has been a significant factor in reducing sales of virgin aggregates in England by around
18 million tonnes between 2001 and 2005, with an estimated increase in the use of recycled aggregate of nearly 6 million tonnes.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Chief Secretary to the Treasury plans to reply to the email from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 15 April 2009, on funding for services for people with learning disabilities. [281133]
Mr. Byrne: Receipt of the correspondence could not be traced. The hon. Member's office has been asked for a copy which will be responded to as soon as possible after receipt.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when allocations of capital spending for Government departments from 2011 onwards will be made; and if he will make a statement. [280334]
Mr. Byrne: Allocations of capital spending for Government Departments from 2011 onwards will be made in the normal way at the next spending review.
Revenue and Customs: Closures
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) planned office closures on average times taken by HMRC to reply to correspondence from members of the public. [280672]
Mr. Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is consolidating staff and work in fewer locations in the interests of greater efficiency. The offices to be closed are those that are surplus to business requirements, and their closure should therefore have no adverse effect on the times taken to deal with correspondence. The streamlining of processes and introduction of new working methods, including improvements to IT systems, should lead to longer-term improvements in HMRC's service to customers.
Revenue and Customs: Manpower
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) directors, (b) senior managers, (c) specialist and delivery managers and (d) executive support and administration staff there were in each HM Revenue and Customs office in each of the last five years. [280313]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is not available, as HM Revenue and Customs hold information on the grade of officer and not their role.
Taxation: Alcoholic Drinks
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the amount of advertising expenditure deducted from profits before tax by businesses producing alcoholic drinks in 2008-09. [280655]
Mr. Timms: No estimates are available, as tax returns do not separately identify the amount of expenditure deducted from profits by businesses.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Finance
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her most recent estimate is of the cost of hosting the London 2012 Olympics archery event at Lord's Cricket Ground. [278867]
Tessa Jowell: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has responsibility for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games at existing venues. The direct costs associated with staging the events at existing venues come from LOCOG's revenues which are primarily derived from commercial sponsorship, broadcast rights, ticket sales and merchandising/licensing—not from the public purse.
There will be attributable costs to the public purse, for example in respect of the security and transport functions associated with the venue. These costs have not yet been identified separately for individual venues, but they will form part of the overall security and transport budgets.
Olympic Games 2012: Haringey
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions her Office has had with Haringey borough to enable it to (a) participate fully in and (b) receive a legacy from the London 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement. [257280]
Tessa Jowell: I met with the Leader of Haringey council and other council officials on 6 February 2008 to discuss Haringey's plans to engage with and benefit from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) met local councillors and business representatives on 8 January 2009 in Haringey to talk about the employment and training opportunities across the park, and to plan events to support businesses in Haringey. Haringey is a member of the north London sub-regional partnership and the ODA hope to hold an event with this partnership before the end of 2009.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Correspondence
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of letters to his Department from hon. Members’ parliamentary offices were answered within 30 days of the date of receipt in each quarter from January 2008 to March 2009. [280469]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department aims to respond to queries from Members of Parliament and Peers within 20 working days. Performance is detailed in the Department’s annual reports and is also reported to Parliament each year by written statement.
Information relating to performance within 30 days could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Electricity
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the percentage of electricity used by his Department which was derived from renewable sources in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. [280953]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The percentage of electricity derived from renewable sources is as follows:
2006-07—100 per cent.
2007-08—100 per cent.
Departmental Energy
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) electricity and (b) gas was used (i) on his Department’s estate and (ii) by his Department’s agency in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09. [280519]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The electricity and gas used by the Department and the Royal Parks on its office estate is detailed in the following table.
| Electricity Kwh | Gas Kwh | |
| n/a = Not available. | ||
Data are not available prior to April 2004 and since April 2008 the Royal Parks have not recorded data on kwh consumed.
Departmental Training
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what training courses have been attended by special advisers in his Department in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [279403]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Special advisers receive training as appropriate to enable them to fulfil their duties and responsibilities as set out in the “Model Contract for Special Advisers”.
In the past 12 months one special adviser attended a Health and Safety course held within the Department at a cost of £60.80 plus VAT per person.
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