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16 Dec 2009 : Column 1377W—continued
Companies: Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies and trusts are registered in each of the UK Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. [307354]
Chris Bryant: I have been asked to reply.
The registration of companies and trusts in the Overseas Territories is the responsibility of their financial authorities. Their contact details are as follows:
| Contact detail | |
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies. The contact details for their regulatory authorities are:
| Contact detail | |
Council Tax: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 22 June 2009, Official Report, column 662W, on council tax: valuation, whether the council tax banding support tool will be linked with the Valuation Office Agency's Geographical Information System; and whether the tool utilises (a) dwellingcode and value significant code data and (b) analysis derived from the Automated Valuation Model. [305750]
Ian Pearson: There will be no direct link between the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA's) council tax banding support tool and its Geographic Information System when the latter is implemented.
An automated selection process within the banding support tool identifies properties which are closely comparable to a given subject property. This process makes use of (a) dwelling house code data (i.e. property details), which includes value significant code data; but not (b) analysis derived from the VOA's Automated Valuation Models.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 3 November 2009, Official Report, column 840W, on council tax: valuation, how many times the Valuation Office Agency has reduced the council tax banding of a dwelling due to the presence of a nearby Traveller encampment in the last 12 months. [307066]
Ian Pearson: The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Crown Estate Commissioners: Conferences
Mr. Graham Stuart:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) away days and (b) conferences that took place outside the Crown Estate's buildings
attended by civil servants in the Crown Estate there have been since 2005; and what the cost was of each. [307462]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Employees of The Crown Estate are not civil servants.
Crown Estate Commissioners: Hotels
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Crown Estate has spent on hotel accommodation for its officials in each of the last five years. [306033]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Expenditure on hotel accommodation for Crown Estate officials in the last five years is as follows:
| £000 | |
Departmental Energy
Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the energy efficiency rating is of each of his Department's buildings in London. [307420]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 11 November 2009, Official Report, column 585W.
Dubai Ports World
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely level of financial exposure of the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group to Dubai World debt. [307157]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury is unable to disclose such information as it is commercially sensitive.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether UK Financial Investments is seeking representation on the Dubai World creditors' committee. [307159]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In line with its Investment Mandate, agreed with Treasury, and the Institutional Shareholders' Committee Statement of Principles, UKFI acts as an engaged and informed institutional shareholder for the banks in which Government have shareholdings.
Day to day management of the banks' business is a matter for the banks' boards.
Economic Situation
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of a new independent body to undertake fiscal forecasts on interest rates. [305559]
Ian Pearson: As announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government have introduced a Fiscal Responsibility Bill to enhance the fiscal framework put in place in 1997, by increasing Parliament's role in debating and approving the Government's medium-term fiscal plans.
Equitable Life Ex-gratia Payment Scheme Review
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department has made to Sir John Chadwick in respect of the (a) methods by which the Equitable Life compensation scheme is to be administered and (b) criteria by which compensation is to be awarded. [307247]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 14 December 2009]: The Government's response to Sir John Chadwick's interim report of June 2009, in which he invited comments on the specific issues he should address in carrying out his work, was published by Sir John along with other representations made to him in August 2009. The document can be viewed on his website at:
The Government's representations with regard to his interim report of August 2009, in which he invited comment on his proposals on approaching the assessment of relative loss he should adopt, will be published shortly and will be available at:
Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cars registered in the UK were eligible for Band A vehicle excise duty in the latest period for which figures are available. [307034]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: As of June 2009, 9,100 cars were licensed in Band A of CO2-based vehicle excise duty.
Housing: Energy
John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for further consultation on economic measures to encourage residential sector energy efficiency. [306987]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government will shortly consult on an extension to the end of 2012 of its flagship home energy efficiency programme, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), from its current end date of April 2011. During its current 2008-11 phase, CERT will drive an estimated £3.2 billion investment in home insulation and other energy saving measures to meet a target of 185 MtCO2 lifetime savings. The new 21-month target will be at least as ambitious as the current scheme on a pro rata basis.
The Government also offer other incentives for energy efficiency including:
reduced rates of VAT (5 per cent.) for the professional installation of certain energy saving products within residential properties, including insulation,
a stamp duty relief for new zero-carbon homes, and
the Landlords Energy Savings Allowance, which offers an incentive of up to £1,500 per dwelling for landlords investing in installing specified energy saving items.
Income Tax: Pensioners
John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the number of pensioners living in Leeds West constituency who pay income tax. [306984]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is not available, however the information on the number of taxpayers paying income tax on their pension income by constituency can be found in table 3.15 "Income and tax by Parliamentary Constituency" available at:
Information on the number of pensioner taxpayers by gender, region and country can be found in table 3.12 "Income and tax for individuals of pension age by gender and country" available at:
Estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes, of which 2006-07 is currently the latest available.
Any inference from the information in table 3.15 should take into account the confidence intervals in table 3.15a "Income and tax by Parliamentary Constituency. Confidence Intervals", available at the above web address.
John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the income tax receipts to the Exchequer from pension income in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [306986]
Mr. Timms: The estimate of income tax from all pension income in 2009-10 is £12.1 billion. This figure is based on the 2006-07 Survey of Personal Incomes projected forward to 2009-10 in line with the 2009 pre-Budget report.
Non-Domestic Rates: Garages and Petrol Stations
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what mechanism the Valuation Office Agency assesses the value of petrol filling stations. [307258]
Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 10 December 2009, Official Report, column 583W.
Public Service Agreements
Chloe Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on co-ordination of progress in the achievement of Public Service Agreement targets by Government departments. [304985]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 9 December 2009]: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has ministerial responsibility for public service reform, delivery and performance, including public service agreements (PSAs).
Within the Treasury, the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit (PMDU) co-ordinates, monitors and reports on progress in relation to the achievement of PSAs. The PMDU reports jointly to the Prime Minister and to the
Chancellor and works closely with Downing Street, HM Treasury, the Cabinet Office and a range of other Departments.
As part of their ministerial responsibilities, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Chancellor have ongoing discussions on the co-ordination of progress in the achievement of PSAs by Government Departments.
Progress on PSAs is reported to Parliament in the Departmental Annual Reports and the Autumn Performance Report.
Tax Allowances: Freight
Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing an essential user rebate system for UK road hauliers; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such a rebate if by this means diesel costs to UK road hauliers were reduced in effect to the EU average. [306962]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: EU law does not allow for a reduced fuel duty rate just for hauliers. A reduced rate for commercial vehicles would be allowable. However, this would have significant Exchequer costs and in this time of fiscal consolidation such expenditure and fiscal risk would not be appropriate. The difficulties of such a proposal (given that fuel duty is charged on supplies) would lead to significant complexity and administrative costs for Government and industry, and risk fraud and evasion.
Tax Enquiry Centres
Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to ensure that changes in the opening times at tax enquiry centres do not adversely affect (a) pensioners, (b) people with disabilities and (c) other vulnerable groups less likely to use the internet or the telephone. [306467]
Mr. Timms: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 14 December 2009, Official Report, column 855W. An Equality Impact Assessment of changes to Enquiry Centre opening hours will be published prior to any changes being made.
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