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7 Jun 2010 : Column 68W—continued
Economic Growth
Richard Harrington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to increase economic growth. [999]
Mr Gauke: The Government are taking action to support enterprise and create a fair, competitive, and efficient tax system in order to deliver the private-sector led recovery that will be the foundation of future growth. Fundamental to this strategy will be tackling the budget deficit and providing a stable macroeconomic environment that will underpin private-sector investment and growth.
Further details of the action the Government will take to secure the UK's future growth will be included in the Emergency Budget on 22 June 2010.
Financial Ombudsman Service
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Financial Services Ombudsman cases went to judicial review in each of the last three years; and in how many such cases the complaint was upheld. [882]
Mr Hoban: The table shows the number of applications for judicial review (JR) against the Financial Ombudsman Service in the last three years. None of the cases succeeded.
| Cases resolved | JR applications | |
Public Expenditure
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 26 May 2010, Official Report, columns 2-3WS, on savings (2010-11), what assessment he made of effects on the economy of allowing devolved administrations to defer their share of savings until the next financial year; and for what reasons central Government departments were not allowed to defer their allocated savings. [849]
Danny Alexander: The Government's top priority is to tackle the deficit. Tackling the deficit this year will promote confidence and support the economic recovery. Since budgets have already been set for devolved administrations it is for them to assess whether they wish to defer their share of the savings until next year.
Public Expenditure: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his announcement of 24 May 2010, if he will list the identifiable non-devolved public expenditure savings for Wales. [586]
Danny Alexander: On 24 May the Government announced the Welsh Assembly Government's share of the £6.2 billion savings, which was £187 million together with consequential or recycled savings amounting to £24 million.
It is for the Welsh Assembly Government to decide whether to defer the savings until next year.
Any savings impacting on Wales in respect of savings made by Government Departments in non-devolved areas of spending are a matter for the relevant Government Departments to decide.
Public Finance
Richard Harrington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to reduce the budget deficit. [1001]
Justine Greening: The Coalition Agreement states that
"deficit reduction, and continuing to ensure economic recovery, is the most urgent issue facing Britain".
The Chancellor has announced the first step in tackling the deficit, setting out details of how to save over £6 billion from spending during this financial year, the fastest and most collegiate spending review in recent history.
These savings have been found by cutting waste and low value programmes across Government. The majority of these savings will be used to reduce the deficit this year.
At the Emergency Budget on 22 June, the Chancellor will set out a comprehensive plan to accelerate reduction of the UK's deficit over the course of this Parliament.
Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanism he intends to use to share data with the Bank of England in respect of its role in advising on budgets and public spending reductions in 2010-11; and what data his Department intends to provide. [1148]
Mr Hoban: The Governor of the Bank of England and the Chancellor discuss economic and financial developments on a regular basis.
In addition, the Bank of England Act 1998, which sets out the role and composition of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), provides that:
"A representative of the Treasury may attend, and speak, at any meeting of the Committee".
The non-voting Treasury representative plays a key role in liaison between the Treasury and the Bank to ensure appropriate co-ordination of fiscal and monetary policy. For example, the Treasury representative will brief the MPC confidentially in advance of major events such as the Budget and the pre-Budget report.
Tax Avoidance
Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects his Department's review of IR35 to be completed. [864]
Mr Gauke: The Government intend to review IR35 as part of a wholesale review of small business taxation. Further details will be announced in due course.
Taxation: Business
Richard Harrington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to assist businesses to become more competitive through reform of the corporate tax system. [1000]
Mr Gauke: The coalition agreement sets out the Government's aim to,
"reform the corporate tax system by simplifying reliefs and allowances, and tackling avoidance, in order to reduce headline rates. Our aim is to create the most competitive tax regime in the G20, while protecting manufacturing industries."
Further announcements will be made by the Chancellor through the Budget process.
Taxation: Holiday Accommodation
Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to implement the proposed changes of taxation rates for furnished holiday letting properties in April 2011. [688]
Mr Gauke: The Government have committed to take measures to satisfy their EU treaty obligations in regard to the taxation of furnished holiday letting that do not penalise UK-based businesses. We are considering how best to deliver that commitment. In the meantime the existing furnished holiday lettings rules will continue to apply.
Deputy Prime Minister
Constituencies
Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what average population for each parliamentary constituency he plans to propose; and on what basis this figure will be determined. [677]
Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply.
The Government have announced that legislation will be introduced to provide for the introduction of the alternative vote in the event of a positive result in the referendum, and the creation of fewer and more equal sized constituencies. Further details will be announced in due course.
Electoral Systems
Mr Watson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to change the voting system for elections to the House of Commons; and if he will make a statement. [136]
Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply.
As indicated in the Gracious Speech, the Government will shortly bring forward legislation providing for a national referendum on the alternative vote system for future elections to the House of Commons, and measures to create fewer and more equal sized constituencies.
The Government will announce further details of how it intends to take forward this commitment in due course.
House of Lords: Reform
Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what his proposals are for the (a) scrutiny and (b) legislative role of a reformed second chamber; [672]
(2) what proposals he is considering for the (a) minimum and (b) maximum membership of any reformed second chamber. [673]
Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply.
These important issues will be considered by the Committee which will be established to bring forward proposals for a wholly or mainly elected second chamber.
Lobbying
Mr Watson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to introduce a statutory code for lobbyists. [137]
Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply.
We have no current plans to introduce a statutory code for lobbyists.
Cabinet Office
Average Earnings: Pendle
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether an estimate has been made of the average earnings of full-time employees in Pendle constituency for April of each year since 2000. [1114]
Mr Maude: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking whether an estimate has been made of the average earnings of full-time employees in Pendle constituency for April of each year since 2000. (1114)
The Office for National Statistics carries out the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) each April. This is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.
I attach a table showing the median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in Pendle constituency for April of each year from 2000 until 2009, the latest period for which figures are available.
| Median gross weekly earnings (£)-for full-time employee jobs( 1) : Pendle Constituency | ||
| £/week | CV | |
| (1) Full-time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. As at April of each year. (2 )2004 results excluding supplementary survey for comparison with 2003 (3) 2004 results including supplementary survey designed to improve coverage of the survey (for more information see National Statistics website) www.statistics.gov.uk (4) 2006 results with methodology consistent with 2005 (5) 2006 results with methodology consistent with 2007 Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV-for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180-220. Key: * CV > 5% and < = 10% Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office for National Statistics. 2000 to 2009 | ||
Business
Mr Binley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many small businesses generated a turnover of (a) between £70,000 and £100,000 and (b) over £100,000 in the latest period for which figures are available. [1008]
Mr Maude: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many small businesses generated a turnover of between (a) £70,000 and £100,000 and (b) over £100,000 in the latest period for which figures are available. [1008]
Annual statistics on business counts are available from the ONS release UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at www.statistics.gov.uk. The attached table contains data from 2009 and shows the count of VAT and/or PAYE based enterprises by employee and turnover size band.
| Count of VAT or PAYE enterprises by employee and turnover size | ||||
| Turnover size band (£000) | ||||
| Employee size band | 0 to 69 | 70 to 99 | 100 | Total |
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