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19 Jun 2009 : Column 545W—continued
Treasury
Banks: Public Consultation
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a progress report on his consultation on a code of conduct for banks; which organisations and companies (a) have been and (b) will be consulted; and how the terms and details of the consultation are being publicised. [281384]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Revenue and Customs are in regular contact with banks and tax advisers from major accountancy firms concerning the code of practice on taxation for banks.
The code of practice will be published shortly for public consultation.
Child Trust Fund: Milton Keynes
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child trust vouchers have been issued to residents in Milton Keynes North East constituency; how many accounts have been opened by residents of the constituency; and what his estimate is of the value of those accounts. [280878]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The most recent constituency level statistics on child trust fund accounts were published on 6 November 2008 and can be viewed on the HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) website at:
HMRC does not have data on the value of child trust funds at constituency level.
Debts
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the total amount of household debt in the UK. [281463]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Bank of England collects and publishes statistics on household borrowing and household debt. The full Bank of England dataset can be found at:
Departmental Energy
Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much (a) electricity and (b) gas was used (i) on his Department’s estate and (ii) by his Department’s agencies in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09; [280528]
(2) how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department’s estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures; [280539]
(3) which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department’s estate. [280551]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury is committed to improving the energy efficiency of its departmental estate and reducing its energy use year on year.
The permanent secretary to the Treasury, as principal accounting officer, has overall responsibility for the efficient use of resources to deliver the Department’s objectives.
Detailed information on the Treasury Group’s energy consumption since 2005-06 by building were published in HM Treasury’s departmental report for 2007-08 (Cm 7408). Updates on progress will be provided annually. Figures for 2004-05 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Measures taken over the last year which have led to increased energy efficiency include improvements to heating, air conditioning and lighting system controls and replacement of local radiator controls in the Treasury building with more efficient ones. In March 2009, the Treasury successfully achieved certification under the Carbon Trust Standard.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many press officers were employed by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies, (c) HM Revenue and Customs and (d) the Valuation Office Agency in each of the last three years; and at what cost in each such year. [279340]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The number of full-time equivalent press officers employed by the Treasury Group (HMT, OGC, DMO), HMRC (including all regional offices) and the Valuation Office in each of the last three years is as follows:
| 1 April 2007 | 1 April 2008 | 1 April 2009 | |
The information on costs for the Treasury Group (HMT, OGC and DMO), HMRC and the Valuation Office for each year since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure the early publication of the Chadwick Review into payment of compensation to policy holders who lost money in the collapse of Equitable Life. [279571]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Sir John Chadwick is well aware of the need to bring this matter to a conclusion and will provide his advice to the Government as quickly as he is able. To assist Sir John in his task the Government are providing all the support and resources he needs.
Sir John set out his proposed approach to his work on 16 June 2009: details are available on his website at:
through which interested parties can keep informed of his work and make representations to his office.
Sir John will continue to make regular updates as his work progresses.
Immigration: Gurkhas
Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on public expenditure of the admission to the UK of 36,000 Gurkhas residents. [275904]
Mr. Byrne: The Government's position on settlement rights for Gurkhas who served in the Brigade of Gurkhas before July 1997 was set out in the Home Secretary's statement to the House on 21 May 2009. On the basis that 36,000 Gurkhas plus their dependants settled in the United Kingdom, the Government estimated that the annual cost would be approximately £1.4 billion. On the basis that 10,000 to 15,000 applicants plus their dependants settle in the UK, the Government estimate that the costs are likely to be £300 million to £400 million a year. This does not take into account the potential revenue from national insurance contributions, income tax or indirect taxes.
Intestacy
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost to the public purse was of managing the estate of a person dying intestate without relatives in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the average time taken to distribute such an estate was in the latest period for which figures are available. [281314]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Bona Vacantia Division at the Treasury Solicitor deals with estates over £500 where the deceased person has died intestate without known entitled kin and is domiciled in England and Wales (except Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster).
The average cost for dealing with these estates is £1,549. This is based on 2008-09 data (the most recent complete financial year).
These estates are not distributed. Assets are collected and liabilities of the estate are paid. Once the administration of the estate is fully completed the balance of monies held are forwarded to the Treasury, to go into the Consolidated Fund.
Based on 2008-09 data, the average time taken to deal with an estate where a grant of Letters of Administration is required from the Probate Registry Office (net estates over £15,000) is 92.33 days. The figure provided is taken from the date the grant was received to the date the file was closed.
In cases where a grant of Letters of Administration is not needed (net estates less than £15,000) the average time taken to deal with these estates is 140.03 days. This figure is taken from the date a file is open to the date the file is closed.
Northern Rock: Compensation
Mark Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to announce (a) the valuation of suspended shares in Northern Rock and (b) arrangements for the compensation for shareholders; and if he will make a statement. [280789]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Following a competitive process, the Treasury announced last September that it had appointed Andrew Caldwell, Valuations Partner at BDO Stoy Hayward, as independent valuer to assess any compensation that may be payable to those affected by the transfer of the shares in Northern Rock to the Treasury.
The valuer is currently conducting the valuation exercise to determine the value of the shares in Northern Rock in accordance with the Northern Rock Compensation Scheme Order 2008 and will conclude the task as soon as practicable. The valuer is independent and is responsible for his own process and timing. Further information about the valuation process can be found on the independent valuer's website at:
Royal Bank of Scotland
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons his Department has refused requests for the release of information pertaining to meetings between Lord Myners, staff of his Department and representatives of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) held between 6 and 13 October 2008 on pensions and bonuses for outgoing executives of RBS, including Sir Fred Goodwin. [277700]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: So as not to prejudice free and frank discussions the Government do not normally publish details of all meetings. I have nothing further to add to the answer given on 19 March 2009, Official Report, column 1275W.
Wales
Annual reports
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the (a) cost and (b) print run of his Department's annual report for 2009 is; and how many copies his Department has distributed. [281193]
Mr. Hain: The cost of producing the Wales Office Annual Report 2009 was £10,248.30.
Currently more than 120 copies have been distributed. We expect the remaining copies to be sent out on request over the coming year.
Departmental Energy
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much (a) electricity and (b) gas was used on his Department's estate in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09. [280529]
Mr. Hain: Electricity usage for the years 2005-06 to 2008-09 is displayed in the following table. These figures relate to my Department's main London building.
| Usage(Kwh) | |
The figures for 2004-2005 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. For my Department's leased office space in Cardiff, energy costs are included in the fixed annual service charge and cannot be given as a specific component.
The sole use of gas in the Wales Office estate is for heating the main London building. This is provided by the Whitehall District Heating System and figures specific to the Wales Office cannot be calculated.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures. [280540]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office has a very small estate, consisting of a main building in London and serviced office space we lease in Cardiff.
The Department's main building is Grade 2 listed and consequently we are limited in the in the work we can do. There has not been any direct spending since 2004 on works specifically to improve energy efficiency, although when undertaking any maintenance or building work we take energy efficiency into account.
We are now working on a Sustainable Development Plan, which will include further steps to improve energy efficiency.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate. [280550]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office is committed to energy efficiency and all staff appreciate that they have a role to play in this and in wider environmental and sustainability issues. For example, staff switch off computer equipment and lights at the end of each day. The Department's approach and strategy is managed by the Corporate Services Branch.
Devolution
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what seminars his Department has conducted for other Government Departments on the devolution
settlement in Wales in the last three years; who spoke at each seminar; who attended from each Department; and what the cost of each seminar was. [281254]
Mr. Hain: Following the Government of Wales Act 2006, the Wales Office officials and lawyers continue to work with Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice and other territorial Offices to deliver a programme of seminars across UK Government Departments. These seminars are designed to promote devolution awareness and understanding of the settlements across the UK Government.
Economic Summit Cost
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much each All Wales Economic Summit cost; and who (a) spoke at and (b) attended each summit. [281192]
Mr. Hain: The All Wales Economic Summits are organised and hosted by the Welsh Assembly Government, therefore the UK Government have no involvement in the cost of the summits. Each summit has had a different focus, and the invited attendees list has reflected this. Everyone who attends the summits has an opportunity to speak, should they so wish.
The summits provide an excellent arena for informed debate on the issues affecting Wales, resulting from the global economic downturn. They provide all interested parties, such as business, employment and skills and charity organisations, with the opportunity to report directly to UK Government and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers the difficulties that they are facing on a daily basis.
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