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17 Mar 2010 : Column 886W—continued
Information for 2006-07 and 2007-08 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as the data for these periods are not centrally held by HMRC's systems.
No estimate has been made of the cost to the Exchequer of pursuing tax debt through Court Proceedings.
Information of the amount recovered through court action is only available at disproportionate cost, as HMRC systems do not separately record the amount recovered as a result of court proceedings as distinct from the amounts recovered from all stages of the enforcement process.
Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many individual tax credit cases which involved overpayments made in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08 the claimants were prosecuted by his Department for the purposes of recovering such overpayments in each year in which such prosecutions were initiated. [317581]
Mr. Timms: The recovery of tax credit overpayments is a civil matter. Therefore, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not prosecute but may seek action to recover tax credit debt through the county court system in England and Wales, the Sheriff's court in Scotland and the magistrates court in Northern Ireland. This is only done as a last resort.
For information on the number of actions commenced in 2006-07 and 2007-08 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cardiff Central (Jenny Willott) on 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1926W. Information for years prior to 2006-07 is only available at disproportionate cost, as it is not centrally held by HMRC's systems.
HMRC can and does prosecute for fraud.
Women and Equality
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Mr. Harper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many properties are (a) owned and (b) leased by the Equality and Human Rights Commission; what the cost to the Commission was in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many people work at each property. [321391]
Maria Eagle: The EHRC is independent and it manages its own affairs; the following is based on information it has provided.
(a) No properties are owned by the Commission.
(b) 10 properties are currently leased by the Commission. The Commission will release one of these with effect from 1 April 2010 and is actively seeking to release a further three from its portfolio. In addition the Commission rents space in six Government Offices and the Scottish Government in Edinburgh.
The cost of these arrangements was £3.6 million per annum in 2009.
The numbers of people who work at each office location are shown in the table. Figures are taken from the EHRC estates review presented to the EHRC Board in December 2009 and are the latest available.
| Headcount( 1) (total) | FTE( 2) (total) | |
| (1) Headcount equals number of EHRC employees excluding those on maternity leave, secondment out or career breaks. (2) FTE equals full time equivalent. Notes: 1. Six employees work between both Glasgow and Edinburgh sites. 2. The Buckingham Palace Road lease expired in April 2010 and staff are being transferred to the London HQ at 3 More London. | ||
Culture, Media and Sport
Butterfly World Project
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent meetings Ministers and officials in his Department have had with representatives of Butterfly World Project Ltd. [320852]
Margaret Hodge: Neither Ministers nor officials from this Department have met with Butterfly World Project Ltd., as neither the people involved in running this world class attraction nor the local Member of Parliament have asked for a meeting.
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) disciplinary and (b) capability procedures have been (i) initiated and (ii) completed in his Department in each of the last five years; how much time on average was taken to complete each type of procedure in each such year; how many and what proportion of his Department's staff were subject to each type of procedure in each such year; and how many and what proportion of each type of procedure resulted in the dismissal of the member of staff. [320636]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not had any capability procedures initiated and completed in each of the past five years. The Royal Parks Agency has had two capability procedures initiated and completed in the past five years, neither of which resulted in the dismissal of staff.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has had three disciplinary cases initiated and completed in the past five years, resulting in two dismissals. The Royal Parks Agency has had two disciplinary cases initiated in the last five years, one of which has been completed, neither resulting in dismissal.
Neither the Department nor Agency keep a record of time spent on such cases.
Departmental Lost Property
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what property has been recorded as (a) lost and (b) stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property. [322072]
Mr. Sutcliffe: During the last 12 months the following items were recorded as lost or stolen.
| Item | Date | Recorded lost or stolen | Estimated cost of replacement (£) |
During the last 12 months the following works of art have been reported missing from the Government Art Collection and are as yet un-located.
Museums and Galleries: Newcastle upon Tyne
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) whether Arts Council England has agreed a business plan for the Waygood Art Galley project, High Bridge, Newcastle; [321040]
(2) how much (a) revenue and (b) capital funding Arts Council England has allocated to the Waygood Gallery project, High Bridge, Newcastle to date. [321041]
Margaret Hodge: To date Arts Council England has been unable to agree a business plan with the Waygood Gallery. Arts Council England has formally notified the Waygood Gallery that it is considering withdrawing revenue funding from the organisation. The final decision on Waygood Gallery's long-term funding will be made by Arts Council England's north-east regional council on 31 March 2010. The Arts Council and Newcastle city council are committed to working closely together to ensure the successful opening of the studios on High Bridge.
Since 2001, £630,380 was allocated to Waygood Gallery through Arts Council England's Regularly Funded Organisation programme and a further £49,778 was awarded through Arts Council England's lottery funded Grants for the Arts scheme.
£130,000 was allocated directly to Waygood Gallery from Arts Council England's capital budget.
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