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7 Apr 2010 : Column 1374W—continued
Television: Licensing
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the percentage change was in (a) the cost of the television licence fee and (b) the number of licence fee payers in each year since 1997. [324384]
Mr. Bradshaw: The percentage increase in the licence fee in each year is set out in the tables.
| Level of colour licence fee (£) | Percentage increase | |
| Level of black and white licence fee (£) | Percentage increase | |
The percentage increase in licence fee payers each year since 1997 is set out in the table.
| Licence fee payers (excludes free licences to entitled persons introduced autumn 2000) | Percentage increase | |
Treasury
Banks: Finance
Mr. Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes in levels of (a) taxation and (b) public expenditure will be required to finance the requirement to repay loans made from the public purse to banks, as referred to in the Financial Services Authority's publication Financial Risk Outlook of 10 March 2010. [322682]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry [holding answer 16 March 2010]: The Financial Risk Outlook discusses liquidity and funding support provided to eligible institutions. Responsibility for repayment of such support lies with the eligible institution itself.
Council Tax
Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when officials in his Department became aware that the costs of a council tax freeze referred to on 3 February 2010, Official Report, column 370, were incorrect; on what date it was decided to place a correction on his Department's website; and what the effect of a two-year freeze on council tax would be on expenditure in council tax benefit. [323165]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 22 March 2010]: The estimates referred to on 3 February 2010, Official Report, column 370, are the cost to central Government of providing every council in England with top up funding to compensate for freezing council tax for two years. This costing considered only the direct costs of providing a top-up, assumed to be equivalent to a 2.5 per cent. increase in band D bills in England.
The Treasury's website was updated on 22 February 2010 to make clear that the costing, which was originally placed on the Treasury's website on 24 December 2009 related to the cost to central Government of compensating local authorities.
The impact on council tax benefit of a two-year freeze on council tax has not been estimated.
Council Tax: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Revaluation 2007 Programme Board minutes of 21 September 2004, paragraph 3.3, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Data Enhancement Questionnaire policy approved by the Minister. [324172]
Ian Pearson: The then Minister approved the use of the Data Enhancement Questionnaire, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Croydon
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Croydon Central constituency, the effects on that constituency of his Department's policies since 2005. [325586]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at Parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at
The Government have put in place a broad programme of reform since 1997. Over the decade to 2007, the economic performance of all parts of the UK has improved considerably. In Croydon Central, the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance reached its lowest level on record in November 2007.
The global recession has had a negative impact on economic activity in all areas of the UK. However, the economy was starting from a position of strength and is actively supported by policies implemented by the Government, including the fiscal stimulus and a significant package of support for those out of work.
In Croydon Central people are benefiting from this investment. Having risen through the first half of last year, the claimant count has remained broadly flat since the middle of 2009, with more than 700 people moving off of the claimant count each month on average over the period. Youth unemployment has also started to decline and now stands more than 10 per cent. below the highs seen in the third quarter of 2009.
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many smoking shelters have been built for his Department's staff in the last five years; and at what cost. [324356]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is given in the following table.
| HM Treasury spend on smoking shelters, 2005-09 | ||
| £000 | ||
| London | Norwich | |
| (1) Cost of moving existing shelter in order to comply with changes in legislation. | ||
Departmental Food
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account his Department's food procurement policy takes of animal welfare. [325525]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Sanders) on 23 March 2010, Official Report, column 189W.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in (a) his Department, (b) HM Revenue and Customs, (c) the Valuation Office Agency and (d) his Department's other agencies (i) have the status of embedded communicators and (ii) are members of the Government Communications Network but are not listed in the Central Office of Information White Book. [315169]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury and the Valuation Office Agency have no embedded communicators. HM Revenue and Customs has 304 embedded communicators. Of HM Treasury's agencies, the Office of Government Commerce has six embedded communicators and the Debt Management Office has none.
Data are not held on Government Communications Network membership.
Departmental Travel
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) Ministers and (b) staff of each grade in (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies spent on first class travel in the last 12 months. [320395]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The normal class of travel for staff in HM Treasury and its agencies is standard class. However, where there is a business or other justification, first class travel is available to staff at all levels but the reason must be included when seeking reimbursement. Information on the class of tickets purchased and the grade of the user is not held, because HM Treasury's accounting system records the costs of travel but not the number, type of tickets bought or traveller's grade. However, for financial year 2008-09, the travel management company provided information on the number and type of tickets purchased through them.
HM Treasury spent £382,000 on air travel and £18,000 on rail travel, the Debt Management Office £3,000 on rail travel and Office of Government Commerce £319,000 on rail travel. Tickets bought but subsequently refunded are excluded and some tickets are bought directly by the traveller, so this information is not a complete record of all tickets bought.
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