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20 July 2009 : Column 897W—continued
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A reply has been sent to the right hon. Member.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2009, Official Report, column 778W, on Members: correspondence, for what reason the Answer did not set out the information requested on the time taken to reply. [287043]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The current economic and financial situation has given rise to a huge increase in the volume of correspondence received over the last 12 months in particular. There has been an increase of over 100 per cent. in Members' correspondence over the previous 12-month period, creating a considerable backlog, which HM Treasury is in the process of clearing. The hon. Member's correspondence was unfortunately part of that backlog and we apologise for the delay.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Torbay of 31 March 2009 on a constituent, Mr Robert Phillips of Torquay. [287184]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The hon. Member's correspondence was transferred to the Department of Works and Pension for reply.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Torbay of 9 April 2009 on the 2009 Budget; and what the reason is for the time taken to reply. [287185]
Mr. Timms: I have replied to the hon. Member.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter of 10 June 2009 from the hon. Member for Walsall North, regarding a constituent, PO Ref: 6/00416/2009. [287899]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Secretary to the Treasury will reply to the letters of 14 April and 20 May 2009 from the hon. Member for Forest of Dean, on funding for charities and loss of funds with KSF, reference FD1288. [287931]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 14 July.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letters of 16 April and 14 May 2009 from the hon. Member for Forest of Dean, on expatriates, reference FD7868. [287933]
Mr. Timms: The correspondence was transferred to the Department for Works and Pensions on 19 May and a notification sent to the hon. Member on that date.
Official Gifts
Mr. Hands:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value is of (a) bequests and (b) other gifts and donations made to the nation in
each of the last five years; and how much was given (i) in the form of (A) cash, (B) works of art and (C) property and (ii) in other forms. [287516]
Mr. Timms: The information is not available.
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does hold information on bequests and gifts where tax relief has been claimed. However HMRC's data systems do not hold sufficient information to distinguish those which might be regarded as "gifts to the nation".
Procurement
Lorely Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has accepted the recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Small Business Group report on access to public procurement in respect of (a) the introduction of specific proposals aimed at the micro-enterprise sector and (b) the provision of feedback on unsuccessful bids; and if he will make a statement. [287678]
Ian Pearson: The Government welcomed the report from the All-Party Parliamentary Small Business Group on 'SME Access to Public Procurement', which identified a similar set of barriers to SME participation as the Glover Review, 'Accelerating the Economic Engine'. The Government are now working to deliver the Glover recommendations, and will continue to take account of the needs of all businesses, including micro-enterprises.
Property
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of capital gains tax receipts which would have accrued from the UK property market if there had been no offshoring in the latest period for which figures are available. [287514]
Mr. Timms: No such estimate has been made.
Property Unit Trusts
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse was of the exemption from capital gains tax of authorised property unit trusts in the latest period for which figures are available. [287523]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is not available.
Reforming Financial Markets: Public Consultation
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he received from representatives of (a) bank employees and (b) consumer groups during the drafting of the proposals contained in Reforming Financial Markets, Cm 7667. [287828]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government are consulting widely on the proposals contained in Reforming Financial Markets-this includes a formal 12-week consultation process, which concludes on 30 September 2009.
Revenue and Customs: Communication Service Providers
Mrs. Laing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests for communications data were made by HM Revenue and Customs to communication service providers (CSPs) under the Taxes Management Act 1970 in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002, (d) 2003, (e) 2004, (f) 2005, (g) 2006, (h) 2007 and (i) 2008; and how many of these requests resulted in the requested communications data being disclosed by the relevant CSP. [284868]
Mr. Timms: Prior to 2005 when the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise merged to form HM Revenue AND Customs (HMRC) S.20 Notices under the Taxes Management Act were regularly sought by the Inland Revenue Inspectors of Taxes on a case by case basis and could be issued from any tax office and a copy retained in individual taxpayers folders. There was no form of central record of the issue of S.20 Notices and the type of information requested. It is therefore not possible to provide this information for this period.
In February 2006 the HMRC Single Point of Contact (SpoC) for the acquisition and disclosure of communications data was designated as the National Telecoms Unit who are responsible for all departmental matters relating to communications data, including RIPA requests, witness statements and Production Orders. From 2006 onwards the HMRC SpoC has not issued any S.20 TMA Notices.
Revenue and Customs: Manpower
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) administration assistants, (b) assistant officers, (c) officers, (d) higher officers, (e) senior officers, (f) fast stream/trainees, (g) Grade 7 employees, (h) Grade 6 employees and (i) senior civil servants there were in each HM Revenue and Customs office in each of the last five years. [285536]
Mr. Timms: A table setting out the number of staff in each grade at each HM Revenue and Customs office in each of the last five years has been placed in the Library.
Tax Credits
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his most recent estimate is of the number of people in (a) Scotland, (b) Glasgow and (c) Glasgow South West constituency claiming family tax credit; [287596]
(2) what his most recent estimate is of the number of people in (a) Scotland, (b) Glasgow and (c) Glasgow South West constituency claiming working tax credit; [287597]
(3) what his most recent estimate is of the level of take-up of working tax credit in (a) Scotland, (b) Glasgow and (c) Glasgow South West constituency; [287598]
(4) what his most recent estimate is of the level of take-up of family tax credit in (a) Scotland, (b) Glasgow and (c) Glasgow South West constituency. [287599]
Mr. Timms: Working families tax credit was replaced by working tax credit and child tax credit in April 2003.
The latest estimates of the average number of families benefiting from child and working tax credits in each Government office region, local authority and parliamentary constituency are published in the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) finalised awards geographical publication, "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Finalised annual awards Geographical analyses" for 2007-08. The publication is available on the HMRC website at:
The most recent child tax credit (CTC) take-up rates for United Kingdom regions and countries are published on the HMRC website at:
Child tax credit take-up rates are not available below these levels.
Working tax credit take-up rates are not available for geographies below United Kingdom level.
Tax: Isle of Man
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Isle of Man government on Isle of Man tax reforms. [287948]
Mr. Timms: Treasury Ministers and officials hold periodic discussions with the Isle of Man.
Taxation: Banks
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the banking industry on a code of practice on tax for banks. [287959]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The consultation document on the Code of Practice on Taxation for banks was issued on 29 June 2009. Since then HM Revenue and Customs has been in regular contact with banks, their industry representatives and advisers regarding the issues arising from this.
Taxation: Domicil
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria his Department uses to determine when to investigate alleged tax fraud cases concerning (a) non- domiciled status and (b) other matters. [278502]
Mr. Timms: Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs criminal investigation policy is available on its website. The criteria for investigating people with non-domiciled status are no different from those for people with domiciled status. A decision to investigate any specific case is based on the available evidence, along with the facts and features of the case.
Taxation: Pensioners
Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of recipients of tax relief on pension contributions are women. [287326]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: There were 6.6 million women in receipt of tax relief on pension contributions. This represented 44 per cent. of all recipients. This information relates to 2008-09.
UK Financial Investments
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the chief executive of UK Financial Investments on its policy on publishing information about its activities. [287851]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury has regular discussions with UK Financial Investments and regularly monitors UKFI's performance against its objectives. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
VAT: Overpayments
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the monetary value of claims lodged with HM Revenue and Customs for repayment of overpaid value added tax arising as a result of the decision of the House of Lords in the cases of Fleming and Conde Nast and (b) the amount paid out by HM Revenue and Customs in respect of such claims. [282981]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 29 June 2009]: The Government have already made prudent provision in the public finances to represent tax and interest that might be repaid following this ruling.
The total value of claims received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as a result of the House of Lords decision in the joined cases of Michael Fleming t/a Bodycraft and Condé Nast Publications Ltd. is estimated at around £8.5 billion. Past experience of such claims suggests that many will prove either to be speculative, incorrect or otherwise overstated.
In those cases so far verified by HMRC, around half the amount claimed by tax value has been refused following verification, and around £1.5 billion in tax and interest has been repaid to date. HMRC is also ensuring that taxpayers bring to account any direct tax liabilities created as a result of these repayments.
The provision for future repayments of tax and associated interest will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary, to reflect HMRC's continuing experience in verifying these claims.
Working Tax Credit: Morecambe and Lunesdale
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency claimed working tax credit in the latest period for which figures are available. [288447]
Mr. Timms: The average number of families benefiting from working tax credit in the Morecambe and Lunesdale parliamentary constituency was 3,720 for 2007-08.
This information is given in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) finalised awards geographical publication, "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Finalised annual awards Geographical analyses, 2007-08", available on the HMRC website at:
World Customs Organisation
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Minister is responsible for representing the Government's interest at the World Customs Organisation. [287992]
Mr. Timms: The World Customs Organization (WCO) is the only intergovernmental organisation with competence on Customs Issues. HM Revenue and Customs officials usually represent the UK's interests at WCO. I am the Minister responsible for Customs policy, and I am accountable to Parliament for HMRC.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of local Zimbabwean bonds held by his Department was in each of the last 10 years, expressed in (a) Zimbabwean dollars and (b) pounds sterling. [287517]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The value held in the last 10 years is zero: local Zimbabwe bonds are not held in the UK's foreign currency reserves (the Exchange Equalisation Account).
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