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14 Jan 2010 : Column 1136W—continued
The following table, using the data provided by the Payments Council, shows the proportion of financial transactions made by the various forms of payment.
| Percentage of payments made by: | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Notes: 1. Percentages are expressed in terms of the number of transactions made. 2. Bank transfers include Direct Debits, Bacs Direct Credits, Standing Orders, CHAPS and one-off payments made through the Faster Payments Service. 3. Online transactions include PayPal and other internet payment methods. Bank transfers and online payments made by credit card and debit card are excluded. | |||||
Non-Domestic Rates: Ports
Robert Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the net change in aggregate rateable values consequent on the new system of rating ports for the purpose of calculating business rates. [308595]
Ian Pearson: The net change of aggregate rateable values at 1 April 2005 is estimated to be an increase of £1.2 million
The assessment of separate occupations within ports for business rates is not a new system and was not introduced by the Valuation Office Agency's review of ports.
Patents
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of progress by his Department in the development of the patent box policy as set out in the 2009 pre-Budget report. [310589]
Mr. Timms: The Chancellor announced in the 2009 pre-Budget report that the Government will introduce a patent box, applying a 10 per cent. rate of corporation tax to income from patents from the start of the 2013-14 tax year. The Government will consult widely on the final design in time for Finance Bill 2011.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment his Department has made of its 2006 Flexible Global Reach, Future Manning Strategy in respect of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary; and if he will make a statement. [309164]
Mr. Kevan Jones: I have been asked to reply.
As was announced on 7 December 2009 in the Treasury's Operational Efficiency Programme Asset Portfolio document, we will be looking at the current arrangement for delivering maritime operational support through the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. This review will include assessing the 2006 Flexible Global Reach Future Manning Strategy.
Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations his Department expects to consult as part of its Operational Efficiency Review in respect of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. [309201]
Mr. Kevan Jones: I have been asked to reply.
We are currently drawing up a list of key stakeholders to be consulted during the review of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Stakeholders from outside the MOD include the Department for Transport, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and Nautilus International. I plan to meet key trade union stakeholders.
Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Operational Efficiency Review in respect of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary to report; and if he will make a statement. [309202]
Mr. Kevan Jones: I have been asked to reply.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 16 December 2009, Official Report, column 1208W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Derek Wyatt).
VAT: Pharmacy
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 December 2009, Official Report, column 857W, on taxation: health professionals, if he will bring forward legislation to apply the same treatment for value-added tax purposes to pharmacy contractors and appliance contractors. [310675]
Mr. Timms:
The application of VAT throughout the EU is governed by agreements between the UK and its EU partners. Under these agreements, the UK is allowed
to keep its existing zero rates, but may not extend their scope or introduce new ones. Therefore, it would not now be possible for the UK to remove VAT from goods supplied by appliance contractors which are not already zero-rated.
Justice
Children's Act 1989
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many section 47 Children's Act 1989 referrals were made of 18 to 21-year-old prisoners to adult social services by (a) the Prison Service and (b) the Probation Service in the last 12 months. [308027]
Maria Eagle: Section 47 of the Children's Act 1989 sets out local authorities' obligations to investigate concerns about the welfare of those under the age of 18. There is therefore no provision under this section for either the prison or probation services to make a referral to adult social services for young adult offenders aged between 18 and 21.
Corruption: Public Service
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Huntington of 26 October 2009, Official Report, column 86W, on corruption, when he now plans to publish the Foreign Bribery Strategy. [310003]
Mr. Straw: Following the launch of the new OECD Recommendation for Further Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials on 9 December 2009, the UK Foreign Bribery Strategy has been amended to highlight this new platform for international cooperation. I plan to publish the Strategy shortly.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance he has provided to (a) Government (i) Departments and (ii) other bodies and (b) non-governmental organisations in his role as anti-corruption champion. [310004]
Mr. Straw: In my role as International Anti-Corruption Champion, I am responsible for coordinating and driving forward Government action against international corruption. This cross-departmental work has included annual instructions to Overseas Missions on reporting allegations on UK involvement in foreign bribery and supporting ethical business conduct. Work under the new Foreign Bribery Strategy will include a more detailed anti-corruption toolkit for Overseas Missions and the development of new guidelines regarding companies convicted of corruption offences.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what meetings he has had in his role as anti-corruption champion. [310007]
Mr. Straw: In my role as International Anti-Corruption Champion I have held roundtable discussions with business, non-governmental organisations, police, prosecutors, and regulators on 12 May and 13 October 2009. I also addressed the 5th European Forum on Anti-corruption on 23 June 2009 (the text is available on the MoJ website). In addition, I have had internal meetings with departmental officials in relation to this role.
Crimes of Violence: Older People
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people of each sex aged 65 and above have been convicted of each offence involving violence against the person in each police force area in each year since 1997. [310728]
Claire Ward: The number of defendants aged 65 and over who were found guilty at all courts for violence against the person, by police force area 1997 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table .
Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
| Number of persons aged 65 and over found guilty at all courts for violence against the person( 1) , England and Wales 1997 to 2007( 2, 3) | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |||||||
| Police force area | Males | Females | Total | Males | Females | Total | Males | Females | Total |
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