Credit
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to limit the maximum interest rates that can be charged by consumer credit entities. [103868]
Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Before intervening in this market the Government need robust evidence of what the impact of a total cost of credit cap might have, both on consumers and businesses. We have commissioned the Personal Finance Research Centre of Bristol university to conduct research on introducing a variable cap on the total cost of credit that can be charged in the high cost credit market. This research will enable the Government to make a thorough assessment of what the impact might be both on the high cost credit industry and on those consumers who rely on this market to obtain credit.
We expect the research to be complete and the results published by summer 2012.
Crown Estate
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 59W, on the Crown Estate Commissioners: manufacturing industries, how much rental income the Crown Estate receives from tenants engaged in manufacturing or engineering; and if he will make a statement. [104165]
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Miss Chloe Smith: The Crown Estate does not hold this information, as it does not record lease agreements by activity.
Diesel: Smuggling
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of the proportion of diesel sold in (a) the UK and (b) Northern Ireland that is illicit. [103661]
Miss Chloe Smith: Estimates of the illicit market for diesel are reported in “Measuring tax gaps 2011” which is published on the HMRC website and available online at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/mtg-2011.pdf
Driving
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government is taking to reduce the cost of motoring. [103660]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Government are supporting motorists and businesses through a reduction in fuel duty, abolition of the fuel duty escalator, introduction of a fair fuel stabiliser, cancellation of the duty increase that was planned for 1 August 2012 and deferral of the January 2012 duty increase to August 2012 to freeze rates for 16 months. Consequently, as of 1 April 2012 average pump prices could be approximately 10 pence per litre lower than they would otherwise have been.
Mr Denham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the period for which e-mails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such e-mails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period. [102961]
Miss Chloe Smith [holding answer 16 April 2012]:E-mails held in mailboxes provided to Ministers, officials and special advisers as part of their official duties are subject to a capacity limit of 1 gigabyte.
During their time in post, it is the sender's responsibility to ensure that e-mails containing information that relates to official business, and which need to be kept for the record, are saved into the appropriate corporate repository. E-mails from third parties are to be captured into the appropriate corporate repository by the lead policy recipient. This is to ensure context and a comprehensive audit trial are maintained. If captured in the corporate repository, the retention period will be determined by the nature of the business to which they relate. For example, e-mails relating to policy formation and government spending may be stored as part of the historical record and will be considered for long-term at the National Archives. On the other hand, e-mails relating to corporate governance matters, such as human resources, are retained in accordance with the relevant legislation and regulations which apply to the activity in question (eg recruitment), including the Data Protection Act 1998.
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All personal mailboxes and drives provided to all personnel carrying out work on behalf of HM Treasury are deleted 10 working days after the individual leaves the Department. For disaster recovery purposes the Department requires its IT provider to keep a 12 month rolling back-up of all e-mails.
The Treasury's records management policy is available online at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about_record_mngmnt_pol. htm#What_is_the_Treasurys_policy_on_personal_ mailboxes_ and_drives
Equitable Life: Compensation
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of Equitable Life's compensation scheme distribution of payments to policy holders. [105023]
Mr Hoban: The scheme intends to publish a further progress report in summer 2012 on the volumes and values of payments made.
Financial Services: EU Internal Trade
Lorely Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the potential added value to exports in financial services from achieving a fully integrated EU financial services market; and if he will make a statement. [102177]
Mr Hoban: Following the Financial Services Action Plan there is already a highly integrated wholesale financial services market in Europe. The UK as a leading global financial services centre acts as an entry point to the EU. For Europe, this has improved the allocation of capital, through, for example, more efficient, deeper and broader security markets; lowered transaction costs and improved market liquidity; and created more opportunities to pool risk. For the UK, some 38% of the UK's trade surplus in financial services is with the EU—this was worth £13.3 billion in 2010. The Government are continuing to look for opportunities to increase this integration and protect the benefits already secured.
Gift Aid
Mark Pawsey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of administering Gift Aid was in each of the last five financial years. [104660]
Miss Chloe Smith: HM Revenue and Customs does not distinguish the costs of administering Gift Aid from its other activities in relation to charities and charitable giving.
This information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Global Warming Policy Foundation
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings officials in his Department have had with representatives of the Global Warming Policy Foundation in the latest period for which information is available. [103914]
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Miss Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
Housing: Sales
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of residential properties valued at over £2 million in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in the UK. [102410]
Miss Chloe Smith: The number of residential properties in the UK currently valued at over £2 million is estimated to be around 56,000. Available data on property transactions suggest around 1% of these would be in Scotland. No stock data are available at the level of parliamentary constituency, and therefore no estimates have been made on that basis.
Income Tax
Jonathan Lord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people resident in (a) Woking constituency and (b) Surrey who will no longer pay income tax as a result of his proposed increase in the personal allowance (i) from April 2012 and (ii) to £10,000 by April 2015. [103413]
Mr Gauke: The 2011 Budget announced a £630 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £8,105 in 2012-13 (£240 above expected RPI indexation), with an equivalent reduction in the basic rate limit to leave the higher rate threshold unchanged.
As a result of these measures, the Government estimated that in 2012-13 260,000 of the lowest income taxpayers will be removed from tax altogether. Information at Government office region is provided in the following table.
| Government Office Region | Number taken out of income tax (thousand) |
These estimates are based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected to 2012-13 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.
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The 2012 Budget announced a £1,100 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £9,205 in 2013-14 (£850 above indexation).
As a result of this measure the Government estimates that in 2013-14 844,000 of the lowest income taxpayers will be removed from tax altogether. Information at Government office region is provided in the following table.
| Government Office Region | Number taken out of income tax (thousand) |
These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected to 2013-14 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2012 economic and fiscal outlook.
Reliable estimates are not available at parliamentary constituency level due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas and small sample sizes.
The Government are committed to supporting lower and middle income earners by raising the personal allowance to £10,000, and removing the lowest income individuals out of income tax. Decisions on future changes in the personal allowance will be taken as part of the annual Budget process in the context of the wider public finances.
Income Tax: Rates and Bands
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what input (a) Ministers and (b) policy advisers in his Department had into the drafting of HM Revenue and Customs report entitled The Exchequer effect of the 50 per cent additional rate of income tax. [102528]
Mr Gauke: Chapters 1 to 6 of the HM Revenue and Customs report entitled ‘The Exchequer effect of the 50 per cent additional rate of income tax’ were drafted by officials in HM Revenue and Customs. The analysis and the conclusions drawn from that analysis were the work of officials in HM Revenue and Customs and used confidential taxpayer data that neither HM Treasury officials nor Ministers have access to.
Annex A of the document sets out the Government's costing of the Budget 2012 policy to reduce the additional rate to 45%. The costing is informed by the analysis set out by HMRC in chapters 1 to 6.
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Inheritance Tax
John Stevenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many taxable estates between (a) £325,000 and £500,000, (b) £500,000 and £1,000,000 and (c) over £1,000,000 there were in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11; [100837]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of estates that claimed (a) agricultural property relief, (b) business property relief and (c) any other relief apart from charitable relief or spouse relief in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11; [100839]
(3) what estimate he has made of the revenue foregone through the claim of taxable estates for (a) agricultural property relief, (b) business property relief and (c) any other relief apart from spouse exemption or charitable relief in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11. [100840]
Mr Gauke [holding answers 23 March 2012]: The number of taxpaying estates with assets of between £325,000 and £500,000 in 2008-09 was around 5,200. The numbers of estates between £500,000 and £1,000,000 and over £1,000,000 for 2008-09 are in the published National Statistics Table 12.3 available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table12-3.pdf
Data for 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be published to the publication schedule which is available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/updates/annual-plan.pdf
The numbers of estates above the inheritance tax threshold that claimed agricultural property relief, business property relief and other reliefs in 2008-09 are in the published National Statistics Table 12.2 available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table12-2.pdf
Data for 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be published to the publication schedule which is available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/updates/annual-plan.pdf
The estimated cost of agricultural property relief and business property relief for 2010-11 are in the published statistics table 1.5 which is available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-5.pdf
Based on the same table the cost of these reliefs for 2008-09 and 2009-10 in £ million are given in the following table:
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
The estimated cost of other reliefs and allowances where the cost is known for 2010-11 are in the published statistics table B.1 which is available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table-b1.pdf
Based on the same table the cost of these reliefs for 2008-09 and 2009-10 in £ million are given in the following table:
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| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
|
Taper relief on transfers between three to seven years before death |
||
Insolvency
Conor Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how businesses owed money in insolvency cases will receive credit through the new insolvency proceedings as set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. [103366]
Mr Djanogly: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Justice.
As my noble Friend, Lord McNally, indicated on 27 March 2012 during Third Reading of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, in future, insolvency cases will need to proceed without recoverable success fees and after-the-event insurance premiums. These important cases will therefore have to be dealt with on a different basis in order to protect revenue. We are working on a programme for implementing Part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill and will set out the details in respect of insolvency cases in due course.
Intellectual Property
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has a role in intellectual property policy development. [101253]
Mr Gauke: The overall policy lead for intellectual property (IP) is held by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills via the Intellectual Property Office. Many Government Departments have an interest in IP, and the policy making process, including collective ministerial consideration of proposals, reflects those interests. The Treasury has a particular interest in reform of the IP framework to promote economic growth and works closely with the Intellectual Property Office in this area. The Treasury also leads on tax policy relating to IP such as the Patent Box and R and D tax credits.
Funding and Loans
Tony Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what schemes the Government acts as the (a) funder of last resort or (b) lender of last resort. [103600]
Danny Alexander: In circumstances where the Government provides financial assistance to a bank or financial institution, this will be reported publicly in documents such as the HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts, Report under section 231 of the Banking Act 2009 and other disclosures at the appropriate times.
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Staffing: Interim Posts
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in interim posts by the Department, or a non-ministerial department or arm's length body controlled by his Department through (a) Penna Consulting, (b) Reed Personnel Services and (c) Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus); how many such people have been in post for over a year; and how many are full-time. [102108]
Miss Chloe Smith [holding answer 27 March 2012]: Interims sourced through Penna Consulting, Reed Personnel Services and Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus) are as set out in the following table dated 27 March 2012:
| Penna Consulting | Reed Personnel Services | Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus) | |
|
Department, non-ministerial departments and arm's length body |
|||
Official Secrets
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any person employed by (a) his Department, (b) the agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible and (c) any private firms contracted by his Department is bound by any part of the Official Secrets Act. [104843]
Miss Chloe Smith: All persons employed by (a) HM Treasury and (b) the agencies and non-departmental bodies for which HM Treasury is responsible are bound by the Official Secrets Act.
Suppliers to HM Treasury Group and their personnel are required to meet the same confidentiality rules as staff employed by the Treasury. Contractual terms and conditions in both Government Procurement Service awarded frameworks and the contracts that the Department awards directly for goods and services contain the provision that commits suppliers to comply with the Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1989.
Parliamentary Scrutiny
Mr Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the advantages and disadvantages of introducing compulsory pre-legislative scrutiny for future Finance Bills. [104030]
Mr Gauke:
The Treasury set out a new, five-stage tax policy making process in the 2010 document ‘Tax policy making; a new approach’. This approach has involved a greater degree of consultation on measures and, for the first time, included a commitment to a period of public scrutiny of draft legislation at least three months before the publication of the following Finance Bill. On 6 December 2011, the Treasury and HMRC published
23 Apr 2012 : Column 602W
over 400 pages of draft legislation for technical scrutiny ahead of Finance Bill 2012 and received over 450 responses by 10 February.
PAYE
Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he will respond to the most recent review of the PAYE Real Time Information project by the Major Projects Authority; and if he will make a statement. [104321]
Mr Gauke: The Real Time Information (RTI) Programme has accepted and implemented all the recommendations made by the Major Projects Authority review team. RTI is on track and the pilot started successfully on 11 April 2012, when the first submission was received.
Whole of Government Accounts
Conor Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to use the Whole of Government Accounts to inform policy making. [103365]
Danny Alexander: Publication of Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) has provided Treasury with a welcome additional tool to support both fiscal and financial management. The information in the account will allow policy makers to see the long term impact of past financial decisions, which can be factored into future decisions. This will become increasingly useful as a time series builds up.
The new information in the account is already being used. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) analysed the information available in the 2009-10 WGA, and its implications on sustainability, in its first Fiscal Sustainability Report published in July 2011.
Research: Economy
Esther McVey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase publicly-funded research and development for the purposes of promoting growth in the UK economy. [103831]
Miss Chloe Smith: In order to promote economic growth in the UK economy, spending review 2010 (SR10) maintained the Department for Business Innovation and Skills ring fenced resource budget for science and research in cash terms from 2011-12 to 2014-15 at £4.6 billion per annum. Within this, the Government committed to real terms increases in spending by the Medical Research Council. SR10 also committed to real terms increases in health research spending from within the Health budget.
The Ministry of Defence also supports a significant amount of research and development (R and D) in the economy—spending around £1.5 billion to £2 billion per annum on external R and D historically.
Since SR10, funding decisions to allocate more than £800 million to further support R and D have been made. Decisions on post SR10 public funding for R and D will be a matter for the next spending review.
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Retirement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many (a) civil servants and (b) senior civil servants have retired from his Department since May 2010; and if he will make a statement; [104143]
(2) how many staff of his Department retired in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how many such staff were taking early retirement in each such year; and if he will make a statement. [104587]
Miss Chloe Smith: The number of civil servants retiring in 2010-11 and 2011-12 is as follows:
| Number | |
Fewer than five senior civil servants have retired from HM Treasury since May 2010.
Fewer than five civil servants retired early in each year.
It is policy not to disclose further details of staff numbers fewer than five, where to do so would lead to the disclosure of protected personal data.
Sarah Southern
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department have had with Sarah Southern since 12 May 2010. [103541]
Miss Chloe Smith [holding answer 18 April 2012]: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
Smuggling
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he gave to levels of tobacco and alcohol smuggling in advance of his decision to increase duties on tobacco and alcohol. [102659]
Miss Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers considered a number of issues, including the levels and trends of the illicit markets for tobacco and alcohol, as part of the usual Budget decision-making process. The Government take tobacco and alcohol smuggling very seriously. The spending review 2010 announced a £917 million reinvestment package for HMRC to reduce tax losses and bring in additional, revenues of £7 billion a year by 2015, which includes investment in combating alcohol and tobacco smuggling.
Stamp Duty Land Tax
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many first time buyers in each local authority area have benefited from the zero rate of stamp duty land tax on house purchases below £250,000 since 2010. [101763]
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Miss Chloe Smith [holding answer 26 March 2012]: HMRC data suggests that 168,827 purchasers had claimed first time buyers’ relief on residential housing transactions below £250,000 by the end of February 2012.
First-time buyers’ relief was introduced by Finance Act 2010 and was time-limited to two years. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced at the Autumn Fiscal Event that the SDLT relief for first time buyers has been ineffective in increasing the number of first time buyers entering the market. The relief was not extended and came to an end for transactions completed after 24 March 2011.
The information requested by local authority will be deposited in the Library of the House.
State Retirement Pensions
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the cost of the up-rating of frozen state pensions for Britons living overseas. [103585]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
We estimate that to pay individuals with frozen-rate state pensions in 2012-13 at rates reflecting what the value would have been had their state pension not been frozen, would cost an extra £655 million (in 2012-13 prices).
These estimates do not include the cost of paying arrears for previous years where pensions were not increased: estimates are for the 2012-13 tax year only.
Source:
DWP estimates based on 5% sample administrative data for 31 March 2011.
Tax Allowances: Married People
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to introduce transferable tax allowances for married couples. [103586]
Mr Gauke: The Government's commitment to bringing forward a proposal to recognise marriage in the income tax system remains firm. We want to show we value commitment and will consider a range of options and bring proposals forward at the appropriate time.
Tax Allowances: Pensions
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total level of tax relief on pension contributions by higher rate taxpayers in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and what estimate he has made of the amount of relief in each of the next three years. [100127]
Mr Gauke: Estimates of the total level of tax relief on pension contributions by higher rate taxpayers from 2010-11 to 2013-14 are given in the following table. They assume an unchanged tax regime after 2011-12. Estimates for 2014-15 are not considered to be reliable.
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| £ billion | |
Tax Avoidance
Mr Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made in the Council of the European Union on measures to reduce tax avoidance. [104034]
Mr Gauke: The EU's key focus on tax avoidance is through the work of the Code of Conduct Group. The UK is an active participant in the work of this group. The group reports on its work on a regular basis to Ministers at ECOFIN.
Tax Collection: Disputes
Mr Raab: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) individuals and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises had Disputes with HM Revenue and Customs in each year since 1997. [104998]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs does not maintain a central record of the number of disputes it has with businesses and individuals. For information on the number of tax appeal cases dealt with by the First-tier Tax Tribunal I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 17 January 2012, Official Report, column 710W, to my hon. friend the Member for Witham (Priti Patel).
Tax Simplification
Conor Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to set out how he will implement recommendations put forward by the Office of Tax Simplification. [103364]
Mr Gauke: The Government responded to the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) reports on small business taxation at Budget.
From April 2013 the Government will introduce a new cash basis for calculating tax for small unincorporated businesses. The Government are consulting on the details of the scheme including on extending eligibility to businesses with turnover up to the VAT registration threshold of £77,000. The Government are also consulting on standardising business expenses and will shortly consult on making disincorporation easier.
The consultation on the new cash basis can be found at:
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_PROD1_031991
In response to the first stage of the OTS review of employee share schemes, the Government will shortly consult on a package of reforms to simplify the four Government approved share schemes.
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Taxation: Small Business
Conor Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to improve HM Revenue and Customs' service standards for the purposes of minimising burdens on small business. [103368]
Mr Gauke: The document 'Making tax easier, quicker and simpler for small businesses' published at Budget 2012 on the HMRC website:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/sme-4756.pdf
sets out the steps the Government and HMRC are taking to improve small businesses' overall experience of the tax system.
HMRC's core services, particularly call answering and post handling are an acknowledged key component of customer experience. Performance in both these areas has improved significantly from lows in 2010. HMRC has set clear goals for these core services to sustain improvements and to, by 2014-15, achieve 90% of call attempts handled and deal with 80% of correspondence within 15 working days and 95% in 40 working days. HMRC will report against these core service standards each year in its annual report.
Taxation: Families
Mr Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on couples with (a) one child aged eight years and (b) two children aged eight to 10 years of changes to (i) working tax credit, (ii) child benefit, (iii) the level of VAT and (iv) housing benefit where their income is (A) £15,000, (B) £20,000, (C) £25,000, (D) £30,000, (E) £40,000 and (F) £50,000 a year. [103618]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 18 April 2012]: No estimate has been made for any of items (i) to (iv).
The Government published estimates of the distributional impact of the packages of tax and benefit measures announced at the spending review, which can be found at:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_annexb.pdf
The impacts published at Budget 2012 can be found at:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_annexb.pdf
Estimates of the impact of local housing allowance reforms are available at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/impacts-of-hb-proposals.pdf
for local housing allowance and
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011.pdf
for the social sector size criteria.
Taxation: Gaming Machines
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the early introduction of machine games duty on the UK coin-operated industry. [104503]
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Miss Chloe Smith: The assessment of the impact of machine games duty (MGD) on individuals and businesses is available in the relevant Tax Information and Impacts Note published at Budget 2012. This document is accessible at the HMRC website:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/tiin-0738.pdf
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to protect the UK coin-operated industry following the introduction of machine games duty. [104504]
Miss Chloe Smith: The introduction of Machine Games Duty (MGD), replacing AMLD and VAT in most cases, is intended to be revenue neutral for the UK coin-operated industry overall. In addition, the industry will benefit from a number of significant amendments that the Government have made to MGD following feedback received during the consultation on the design of the duty.
Separately, the Government remain committed to removing unnecessary red tape from leisure industries. They have already made regulatory changes which should deliver £9 million annual benefit to gambling businesses and on 29 March launched a red tape challenge for the sport and leisure sector to help identify further measures to reduce bureaucracy, streamline processes and remove unnecessary regulation.
Taxation: Multinational Companies
Mr Watts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on the effects on international development policy of changes to controlled foreign company rules; [103606]
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that changes to controlled foreign company rules do not adversely affect the ability of poor countries to exit aid dependence; [103605]
(3) if he will conduct a spillover analysis of the effects on developing countries of planned changes to UK tax policy in the 2012 Budget; [103603]
(4) if he will review the proposed changes to controlled foreign company rules; and if he will publish an impact assessment on the effect of these changes on the tax revenues of developing countries. [103604]
Mr Gauke: Treasury Ministers hold regular conversations with the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), on a wide range of issues regarding developing countries. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
The Government have not undertaken an assessment of the effect on developing countries of the proposed changes to the CFC rules as these rules are designed to protect the UK Exchequer by preventing artificial diversion of UK profits.
Any assessment of the impact of CFC reform on developing countries would need to focus primarily on the nature of tax regimes in the developing countries and the interactions of UK headed multinational companies with those tax systems. The strengthening of tax
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administration in developing countries is a key issue in tax and development and the Government are committed to supporting developing countries access sustainable sources of revenue.
To help the ability of poor countries to exit aid dependence the Government are working through a variety of channels to deliver high-quality capacity building, improving exchange of tax information, and increasing transparency in the extractives sector to address corruption.
Taxation: Solar Power
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue the Exchequer received from taxation of employees and businesses in the solar PV sector in 2010-11; and what revenue he expects to receive from this source in each financial year between April 2012 and April 2014. [103584]
Miss Chloe Smith: The solar photovoltaic (PV) sector pays tax to HM Revenue and Customs under corporation tax, pay-as-you-earn and national insurance contributions, stamp duty land tax, stamp taxes on shares and value added tax. Businesses within the sector also pay national non-domestic rates to local authorities.
HM Revenue and Customs produce a breakdown of outturn tax receipts by sector for PAYE IT and NICs, corporation tax and VAT. These breakdowns record receipts at broad industry level (based on the ONS standard industrial classification or HMRC standard trade classification). The solar PV industry is not identified as a separate industry within the classification frameworks.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produce forecasts of tax revenue from individual taxes, but these are not broken down by detailed subsector and are therefore not available for the solar PV sector.
Taxis
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on taxis for (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants between August 2011 and January 2012. [101417]
Miss Chloe Smith: The total spend on UK taxis for the period August 2011 to January 2012 was £5,850.59 by Ministers and £42,445.59 by civil servants. These costs are exclusive of VAT.
Taxi hire is for use by all HM Treasury Group staff for business use only.
In line with HM Treasury's travel and subsistence policy, taxis should only be used where they will save official time or where a disabled member of staff is travelling to attend an official meeting. However it may be justifiable to use a taxi if an official is carrying classified documents, heavy or bulky luggage or when in an unknown locality as a result of official business. Taxis may also be used when travelling home or to work late at night (after 10.00 pm) or early morning (before 6.30 am) when an alternative method of transport is not available.
Taxis are defined as a car available with a driver for hire, including a minicab.
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Tourism
Mark Menzies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal measures he is taking to support tourism in the north-west. [103762]
Mr Gauke: There are no plans to introduce fiscal measures to support tourism on a regional basis. The north-west will benefit from the Government's strategy for tourism which was published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in March 2011.
Vacancies
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were for (a) staff posts and (b) senior civil service posts in his Department on 31 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; and if he will make a statement. [104588]
Miss Chloe Smith: HM Treasury job vacancies being advertised on the dates requested were as follows:
| As at 31 March each year | |||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
Since May 2010 there has been a freeze on external recruitment. Ministerial approval is now required by the Department to recruit either temporary or permanent staff where the skills do not exist internally.
VAT
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the revenue which will accrue to HM Treasury as a result of changes to VAT rules relating to rental of hairdressers' chairs, as announced in Budget 2012; [102405]
(2) what estimate he has made of the revenue likely to accrue to HM Treasury as a result of changes to the VAT rules relating to holiday caravans, as announced in Budget 2012; [102406]
(3) what estimate he has made of the revenue likely to accrue to HM Treasury as a result of changes to the VAT rules in relation to self-storage, as announced in Budget 2012; [102407]
(4) what assessment he has made of the revenue likely to accrue to HM Treasury as a result of changes to VAT rules relating to (a) the sale of hot food, (b) cold food consumed on the suppliers' premises and (c) sports drinks, as announced in Budget 2012; [102408]
(5) what assessment he has made of the revenue likely to accrue to HM Treasury as a result of changes to VAT rules relating to approved alterations to listed buildings, as announced in Budget 2012; [102409]
(6) what estimate he has made of the amount which will be accrued to HM Treasury as a result of the withdrawal of charitable buildings from the scope of the VAT reduced rate for the supply and installation of energy-saving materials as announced in Budget 2012. [102463]
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Mr Gauke [holding answer 16 April 2012]: Estimates of the revenue likely to accrue to HMT Treasury as a result of changes to VAT rules relating to hairdressers' chairs, holiday caravans, self-storage, the sale of hot food, sports drinks and approved alterations to listed buildings are set out in ‘Annex B—Table of Impact for Individual Measures’ of the HM Revenue and Customs consultation document ‘VAT: Addressing borderline anomalies’, published in Budget 2012:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/vat-con-4801.pdf
It is estimated that there will be no additional revenue accrued as a result of changes to VAT rules relating to cold food consumed on the suppliers' premises, but it will protect revenue currently accruing to the Exchequer.
It is estimated that the amount which will accrue to HM Treasury as a result of the withdrawal of charitable buildings from the scope of the VAT reduced rate for the supply and installation of energy-saving materials will be negligible.
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the revenue which will accrue from and (b) the number of businesses affected by his decision to add VAT to the price of food sold at above ambient temperature in Scotland. [103407]
Mr Gauke: No estimate has been made of (a) the revenue which will accrue from and (b) the number of businesses affected, in Scotland, by the change to the VAT rules relating to the sale of hot take-away food announced in Budget 2012.
Graham Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT was paid on metal collected by registered itinerant metal collectors in each of the last 10 years. [103725]
Mr Gauke: The information is not available.
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many sixth form colleges which are not related to a school or academy paid VAT on purchases in the last period for which figures are available; [103960]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect on sixth form colleges which are not related to a school or academy of being required to pay VAT on purchases; [103961]
(3) what plans he has to allow sixth form colleges which are not related to a school or academy not to pay VAT on purchases. [103962]
Mr Gauke: In common with everyone else, including academy colleges, sixth form colleges pay VAT on purchases. Their VAT costs are taken into account within the funding allocation. There are no plans to allow sixth form colleges to waive VAT on purchases or to introduce a scheme to refund the VAT costs.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of introducing a five per cent reduced rate of VAT for passenger transportation in cable-based transport systems carrying fewer than 10 people as announced in the Budget. [104470]
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Mr Gauke: The annual cost to HM Treasury as a result of introducing a 5% reduced rate of VAT for passenger transportation in cable-based transport systems carrying fewer than 10 people is estimated to have a nil or negligible impact.
Simon Hart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department will give consideration to abolishing VAT on goods that are designed for use by the disabled or chronically ill. [104517]
Mr Gauke: There are a number of specific VAT reliefs available for certain goods and services supplied for use by chronically sick or disabled persons. These include equipment and appliances designed solely for their personal or domestic use. The application of VAT throughout the EU is governed by agreements between the UK and its EU partners. Under these agreements, we are allowed to keep our existing VAT reliefs but may not extend their scope or introduce new ones.
Vodafone Group
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when was the last time he discussed tax issues with Vodafone contractors. [103228]
Miss Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
Welfare Tax Credits
Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of households in (a) Wrexham constituency, (b) Wales and (c) the UK which are no longer entitled to tax credits following the introduction of changes to those credits from April 2012. [103695]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is as follows:
| Estimate of the number of households that will no longer be entitled to tax credits following the introduction of changes to tax credits from April 2012 | |
| Number i n 2012-13 (thousand) | |
Working Tax Credit
Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many couples with children received working tax credit as of 1 April 2012 in respect of employment of between 16 and 24 hours per week in each parliamentary constituency; [104628]
(2) how many children lived in households which were in receipt of working tax credit as of 1 April 2012 including a couple working between 16 and 24 hours per week in each parliamentary constituency. [104629]
Mr Gauke: This information is not available.
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I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 72W.
The information the above referenced answer was compiled using data from the HMRC snapshot publication “Personal Tax Credits: Provisional Statistics—Geographical Statistics”. The latest issue contains data as of December 2011 and can be found here:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-dec2011.pdf
The next publication, containing data as of April 2012, is due to be published on 26 April 2012. Once this issue has been published we will the requested information will be deposited in the Library of the House.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on a carbon savings communities obligation; and if he will make a statement. [104724]
Gregory Barker: The new carbon saving communities obligation is part of the Energy Company Obligation and will require energy suppliers to provide a range of insulation measures to households in the most deprived communities in England, Scotland and Wales. Suppliers will be required to deliver support worth around £190 million per annum as part of their Overall Energy Company obligation.
Full details of the policy will be published in due course in the Government's response to the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation consultation.
Climate Change
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 23 March 2012, Official Report, columns 942-3W, on climate change, what assessment he has made of the trends in global temperature figures. [104361]
Gregory Barker: The latest estimates of global average surface temperatures since 1997, produced by the Met Office Hadley Centre, indicate that the trend in global temperatures was 0.09° C per decade over the period 1998 to 2010; The underlying trend in temperature since 1979 was 0.17° C per decade. Most of the warming since the middle of the last century was very likely due to human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases. However natural variations in the climate system, such as changes in solar radiation, volcanic activity and large scale fluctuations in ocean currents, are expected to lead to variances from the long-term underlying trend over relatively short timescales of a decade or so.
2001 to 2010 was the warmest 10-year period on record, since records began in 1850, while 2005 and 2010 were the two equal warmest individual years.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the credibility of the (a) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and (b) Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. [104362]
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Gregory Barker: We consider that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Assessment Reports provide the most authoritative and comprehensive assessment of climate-change science.
Its procedures are robust and are designed to minimise error and ensure a balanced and accurate assessment of the science. Mistakes have been very rare. However, following the discovery of an error related to Himalayan glacier loss in 2010, the procedures, structures and communications of the IPCC were assessed independently by the Inter-Academy Council (IAC).
The governments represented in the IPCC considered the recommendations of the IAC in depth and agreed a number of changes to strengthen its governance and management and its procedures for preparation of reports. It also developed a new communications strategy and a policy on managing conflicts of interest. The UK played a significant role in making these changes which strengthen what was an already robust organisation and put the IPCC on a firm basis for preparation of its 5th Assessment Report.
The UK remains committed to IPCC as the primary source of information on climate-change science.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the evidential basis is for the Facts About Climate Change section of his Department's website covering average global temperatures. [104363]
Gregory Barker: The evidential basis for the stated increases in global surface temperatures since around 1900 and the 1970s, respectively, come from the analyses of three independent data sets of surface temperature carried out by the Met Office Hadley Centre and Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia and, in the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
The stated range of possible rises in global temperatures by the end of this century, relative to 1990, are based on information from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report (2007), in relation to future scenarios for greenhouse gas emissions.
Community Energy Saving Programme
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2012, Official Report, column 158W, on the Community Energy Saving Programme, (1) which of the obligated energy companies have made representations to extend the 31 December 2012 deadline for achieving the (a) carbon emission reduction target and (b) community energy saving programme; [104532]
(2) if he will make it his policy to extend the 31 December 2012 deadline for obligated energy companies in respect of (a) the carbon emission reduction target and (b) the Community Energy Saving Programme; [104534]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting with representatives of EDF, British Gas, E.on, npower, SSE and Scottish Power on progress in meeting carbon emission reduction targets and CESP obligations on 1 February 2012. [104535]
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Gregory Barker: I am unable to provide information on which companies may have made representations for the extension of Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) and the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), or the minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2012, as the release of this information would prejudice the commercial interests of the companies concerned.
The Government have no intention of extending the deadline for achievement of the targets under CERT and CESP beyond the end of this year.
Energy: Conservation
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of including (a) F and (b) E-rated boilers in the scope of Community Energy Saving programme (CESP)-eligible measures, specifically the potential effect on multiple measure uplifts of other CESP-eligible measures, such as solid wall insulation. [104726]
Gregory Barker: Under the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) legislation only G rated boilers qualify as an eligible measure. The Government have no plans to change the CESP legislation to include other types of boilers and have therefore made no assessment of what the effects of any such change would be.
Energy: Meters
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2012, Official Report, column 600W, on energy: meters, to the hon. Member for Tiverton and Honiton, whether the smart metering trials being conducted will address all the issues of concern raised by the Public Accounts Committee in its Report of January 2012 on Preparations for the roll-out of smart meters (Sixty-third Report, HC 1617). [103984]
Charles Hendry: The Government recognise the importance of rigorous testing and trialling to ensure the smooth introduction of the smart metering arrangements. The smart metering home area networking (HAN) trials referred to in the answer of 20 March 2012, Official Report, column 600W, are specifically designed to test the technical performance of alternative in-home communications technologies, rather than the full range of issues raised by the Public Accounts Committee, including the need for consumer engagement and communications system installation trialling, which are being addressed separately. A number of suppliers are currently carrying out trials testing different aspects of consumer engagement. Building on this, we will be publishing further information on our approach to consumer engagement trialling later this spring. The Government are also currently developing the approach to end testing and trialling.
Fossil Fuels
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has any plans to review the regulation of fracking and other water intensive mining operations following the drought warnings in the South East. [103797]
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Charles Hendry: There is already a robust regulatory regime in place within the UK to cover current shale gas exploration activities, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking). However the Environment Agency, who have regulatory responsibility for water usage in England and Wales, are starting a detailed environmental review to ensure the coverage is sufficient should current exploration proposals seek to move to the development stage.
For fracking the actual volumes required are not at all exceptional compared to other industrial activities which routinely take place across the UK. Operators would typically use in total between 10,000 cubic metres and 20,000 cubic metres of water to drill and carry out hydraulic fractures on a well. As a comparison, figures from South East Water's website indicate that the water supply company takes more than 565,000 cubic meters of water from the environment each day and supplies it to around 2.1 million customers in the South East.
Fracking is carried out for a few days to get the gas flowing, so the technique is only used for the initial production phase and perhaps again later when production levels begin to drop off. Any operator who wishes to abstract water will need a licence from the Environment Agency, who will only authorise additional water abstraction when there is water available and there are no risks posed to the rights of existing abstraction licence holders. The Agency have powers to impose appropriate restrictions where these are justified in the particular context.
Fossil Fuels: Exploration
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the potential risks to public health in Sefton of hydraulic fracturing in the north-west of England. [104368]
Charles Hendry: Shale gas operations are licensed by DECC and come under the same rules that govern exploration for conventional hydrocarbons. There is a robust regulatory regime designed to ensure that operations are conducted without harm to public health and safety and the Department and other key regulatory bodies, including the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency are working closely together to ensure effective monitoring and appropriate control of these activities.
Drilling applications (including any proposals for hydraulic fracturing) go through the local planning application process and are scrutinised by the Environment Agency to make sure there is no risk to the environment. Drilling proposals are also checked by the HSE and DECC prior to any approval.
The Health Protection Agency are keeping abreast of research into any potential public health risks and will assess the potential impact on health on a case by case basis when approached by local authorities. Potential health impacts will also be considered by the local Director of Public Health. The Health Protection Agency supports the primary care trusts in their investigations.
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Green Deal Scheme
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many learning providers (1) have expressed an interest in offering training that leads to a Green Deal adviser qualification; [103997]
(2) he expects to offer training that leads to a Green Deal adviser qualification. [103998]
Gregory Barker: Officials have been in discussion with a large number of potential learning providers, as well as some of the largest awarding organisations in this sector, who are looking to offer Green Deal advice qualifications to potential candidates via their training centres across Great Britain. These discussions are ongoing so it is not possible to say at this stage how many providers will offer training.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Ofqual-approved awarding organisations he expects to take up Green Deal qualifications. [103999]
Gregory Barker: Officials have been in discussion with some of the largest Ofqual approved awarding organisations operating in this sector who are planning to offer qualifications under the Green Deal. These discussions are ongoing so it is not possible to say at this stage how many organisations will take up Green Deal qualifications.
Legal Costs
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2012, Official Report, column 169W, on legal costs, when he expects his Department to make an assessment of the costs of HomeSun and the other respondents. [104531]
Gregory Barker: The respondents have not yet served details of the legal costs they are claiming from the Department under the terms of the courts' orders. When they do so, either the parties will agree the amount payable or, if agreement cannot be reached, the respondents' schedule of costs will be referred to a costs judge for assessment, i.e. for the court to determine how much the Department is liable to pay. The Department cannot predict how long this process will take.
Natural Gas: Exploration
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what gas shale exploration licences have been (a) granted and (b) applied for in the last three years; and which parliamentary constituencies are covered by each such licence. [104864]
Charles Hendry:
Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLs) are not specific to shale gas and do not give permission for operations, but grant exclusivity to licensees in relation to petroleum appraisal and exploration within a particular licence area. One PEDL has been issued during the last three years and this covers an area which straddles four constituencies—
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Fareham County, Portsmouth North, Havant, and Meon Valley. The agreed Initial Term Work Programme was unrelated to shale gas.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects of gas shale extraction on the incidence of (a) earthquakes, (b) water contamination, (c) air pollution and (d) soil pollution. [104865]
Charles Hendry: All hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations for shale gas are currently suspended pending consideration of the seismic events in Lancashire last April and May. On 17 April, DECC published an independent expert report recommending detailed measures to mitigate the risks of seismic tremors from hydraulic fracturing. The report concludes that minor earth tremors detected in the area of Cuadrilla's Preese Hall operations near Blackpool in April and May last year were caused by fracking and, among other measures, recommends a real time seismic monitoring system and a "traffic light" control regime based on this monitoring. Before Ministers make any decision about resuming fracking, Government are inviting views on the report both from experts and the public. The invitation for comment runs until 25 May 2012.
Local planning authorities and the Environment Agency make an assessment of the potential environmental impacts of shale gas extraction on a site by site basis and take this into account in planning decisions and conditions and whether to require environmental permits. The Environment Agency is also undertaking a detailed environmental assessment of shale gas extraction in the current financial year to ensure that it has all the information it needs and that regulation is appropriate to protect the environment should shale gas activity develop beyond the exploratory phase. They also have studies under way on the monitoring and control of fugitive emissions of methane from unconventional gas operations and to review the processes and requirements for protecting groundwater from shale gas wells and boreholes.
Ofgem
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff employed by Ofgem received bonuses in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011. [104498]
Charles Hendry: 266 members of Ofgem's staff received bonuses in 2010 and 346 received bonuses in 2011.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) average and (b) total amount paid in bonuses to staff at Ofgem was in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011. [104521]
Charles Hendry: Ofgem has provided the following information:
| £ | ||
| Average bonus | Total amount | |
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Oil: Prices
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with counterparts in OPEC countries on oil prices in the last three months. [104984]
Charles Hendry: The functioning of the international oil market was one of the issues discussed at the International Energy Forum's Ministerial meeting in Kuwait which I attended in March. Most OPEC countries were represented at the meeting, and I held bilateral meetings with the representatives of Algeria, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia during the visit.
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), also met the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Sharistani in London on 19 April.
Pension Credit
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of pensioners in receipt of the pension credit guarantee credit whose energy supplier has fewer than 250,000 customer accounts. [103903]
Gregory Barker: The Department, for Energy and Climate change consulted on whether energy supply companies with fewer than 250,000 customers should be required to participate in the warm home discount scheme and the impact of this. The consultation document and Government's response to the consultation can be found at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/warmhome/warmhome.aspx
Government decided that energy supply companies with fewer than 250,000 customers should be able to participate on the warm home discount scheme on a voluntary basis. None of the energy supply companies with fewer than 250,000 customer accounts decided to voluntarily participate in the warm home discount scheme core group in 2011-12. As a result we are unable to estimate the number of pensioners on pension credit guarantee credit affected.
Public Consultation
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which of his Department's consultations have been externally verified since 2007; for what reason and by whom such verification was carried out; and what the cost to the public purse was of such verification. [104055]
Gregory Barker: Formal verification of compliance with the various obligations set out under the HM Government code of practice on consultation is a matter that is handled internally, in accordance with the obligation under the code to monitor the effectiveness of consultation exercises.
It is normal practice for my Department to publish all non-confidential responses to formal written consultation exercises, consistent with the code. Publication of consultation responses promotes transparency and provides the opportunity for external scrutiny of the consultation process independent of Government.
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Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effects of changes to the feed-in tariff on job losses in the energy sector. [104636]
Gregory Barker: The Department has not made any assessment of the change in the number of jobs in the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector. However, an assessment of the total number of gross full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs that could be supported by new solar PV installations from calendar year 2011 until 2013-14 was included in the impact assessment published alongside the Phase 2a consultation:
www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
Future job estimates are extremely uncertain, and depend on a number of assumptions such as future technology costs, and market growth. DECC is continuously reviewing its estimates in the light of the latest evidence, and will provide updated assessments for the final impact assessment published alongside the Government response to the current consultation.
Retirement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff of his Department retired in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how many such staff were taking early retirement in each such year; and if he will make a statement. [104557]
Gregory Barker: During 2010-11, four staff retired, no staff took early retirement in this year. During 2011-12, 11 staff retired, of whom three took early retirement.
Solar Power
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the change in the number of jobs in the solar PV sector in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14. [103582]
Gregory Barker: The Department has not made any assessment of the change in the number of jobs in the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector. However, an assessment of the total number of gross full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs that could be supported by new solar PV installations from calendar year 2011 until 2013-14 was included in the impact assessment published alongside the Phase 2a consultation:
www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
Future job estimates are extremely uncertain, and depend on a number of assumptions such as future technology costs, and market growth. DECC is continuously reviewing its estimates in the light of the latest evidence, and will provide updated assessments for the final impact assessment published alongside the Government response to the current consultation.
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Vacancies
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many job vacancies there were for (a) staff posts and (b) senior civil service posts in his Department on 31 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; and if he will make a statement. [104558]
Gregory Barker: On 31 March 2010 DECC had 73 vacancies of which 13 were for senior civil service posts. On 31 March 2011 DECC had 162 vacancies of which 21 were for senior civil service posts. On 31 March 2012 DECC had 185 vacancies of which 17 were for senior civil service posts.
Warm Front Scheme
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2012, Official Report, column 1002W, on the Warm Front scheme, how much funding allocated for the Warm Front scheme in 2011-12 was (a) spent, (b) committed to expenditure and (c) unspent. [103679]
Gregory Barker: The original budget for Warm Front and associated fuel poverty expenditure for 2011-12 was £110m. During 2011-12 total expenditure was almost £108 million with a further £0.6 million committed but not yet paid. Therefore, of the original Warm Front budget £1.4 million was unspent.
The budget was increased by £35 million during the year as a result of £25 million allocated to support the completion of outstanding works from 2010-11 with a further £10 million provided by the Department of Health. We also received agreed rebates from Carillion Energy Services of nearly £14 million. These rebates were used to offset expenditure in 2011-12 bringing a total reported expenditure for the year to £94.4 million. Against the new budget of £145 million for 2011-12, £50.6 million was unspent.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2012, Official Report, column 173W, on the warm home discount scheme, when he expects Ofgem to conduct a review of suppliers' spending under the scheme for 2011-12. [104533]
Gregory Barker: The Warm Home Discount Regulations 2011 require Ofgem to determine suppliers' spending in each scheme year as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the scheme year. Therefore we expect Ofgem will undertake a review of suppliers' spending in year one of the scheme over the coming months.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many customers have been contacted by his Department in relation to eligibility for the warm home discount scheme since May 2010. [103902]
Gregory Barker: The warm home discount scheme was launched on 1 April 2011.
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The Government contacted all of the over 896,000 pensioners eligible or potentially eligible for financial support under the Core Group of the warm home Discount scheme by letter between November 2011 and February 2012. Nearly 600,000 of these letters informed customers that they were automatically eligible for the Core Group discount of £120 in 2011-12 and the discount would be credited to their account by their energy supplier that winter.
Government also wrote to nearly 300,000 customers asking them to contact a dedicated Government call centre if they met the eligibility requirements for the scheme. Well over 60,000 customers contacted the call centre, met the eligibility requirements and were referred to their energy supplier to receive the discount of £120.
Energy suppliers are also obligated to find and manage contacts with other groups of vulnerable households through the broader group and legacy spending elements of the scheme.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many customers contacted by his Department in relation to eligibility for the warm home discount scheme have (a) applied for assistance under the scheme, (b) had their claim accepted and (c) had their claim rejected. [103904]
Gregory Barker: The Government contacted all of the over 896,000 pensioners eligible or potentially eligible for financial support under the Core Group of the warm home discount scheme by letter between November 2011 and February 2012.
Nearly 600,000 of these letters informed customers that they were automatically eligible for the core group discount of £120 in 2011-12 and the discount would be credited to their account by their energy supplier that winter.
Government also wrote to nearly 300,000 customers asking them to contact a dedicated Government call centre if they met the eligibility requirements for the scheme. Well over 60,000 customers contacted the call centre, met the eligibility requirements and were referred to their energy supplier to receive the discount of £120. We will publish the final number of discounts credited later in 2012.
Energy suppliers are also obligated to find and manage contacts with other groups of vulnerable households through the broader group and legacy spending elements of the scheme.
Wind Power
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of long-term environment damage done to moorland, peat and boggy areas by the infrastructure required for the installation of wind turbines. [104955]
Charles Hendry: Assessment of the potential long-term impact on sites of ecological and geological importance such moorland, peat and boggy areas of infrastructure for the installation of wind turbines is carried out as part of the planning and consenting process.
For development requiring an environmental impact assessment, such as commercial scale wind farms, applicants are required to set out any impacts on designated sites
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of ecological and geological conservation importance, and where necessary, steps to mitigate impacts, as part of the planning/consent application. Such environmental impact assessments are informed by consultation with, and assessed by, statutory consultees, for example Natural England and the Environment Agency.
Deputy Prime Minister
Bill of Rights
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what meetings he has had with the Chairman or members of the Commission on a Bill of Rights since its establishment; who attended any such meeting; what the purpose of each such meeting was; and whether a record of what was said at any such meeting was made. [104987]
The Deputy Prime Minister: With ministerial colleagues I have had two formal meetings with the Commission on a Bill of Rights since its establishment.
The first meeting took place on 1 December 2011, when the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), the Minister of State, my noble Friend, Lord McNally and I met the chair and all of the then Commissioners except Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC. The purpose of the meeting was an update on work to reform the European Court of Human Rights, following the commission's provision of its interim advice on the subject to the Government, and to provide an opportunity for the commission to provide an update on its future work plans. A short record was made of what was said at the meeting.
The second meeting took place on 22 March 2012 when the Justice Secretary, Lord McNally and I met the chair and all of the current Commissioners. The purpose of the meeting was to allow further updates on court reform and the commission's future work plans. As before, a short record was made of what was said at the meeting.
I was accompanied by my officials at both of these meetings.
Additionally I had a meeting with one Commissioner, Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC, on 4 May 2011 and a telephone conference with three Commissioners.
Official Hospitality
Ian Lavery: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for which events held at Chevening (a) he and (b) the Liberal Democrat Party have made a payment to the public purse; and what the total amount reimbursed was in each such case. [103662]
The Deputy Prime Minister: None.
Public Consultation
Mr Weir: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) which of his Office's consultations have been externally verified since 2007; for what reason and by whom such verification was carried out; and what the cost to the public purse was of such verification. [104103]
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(2) whether his Office collects the IP addresses of online respondents to its consultations. [104104]
(3) whether his Office accepts anonymous contributions to its consultations. [104105]
Mr Harper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude).
Sarah Southern
Ian Lavery: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what meetings (a) he, (b) his special advisers and (c) his officials have had with Sarah Southern since 12 May 2010. [103664]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I have not held any meetings with Sarah Southern since 12 May 2010. My special advisers and private office officials have also not held any such meetings.
Cabinet Office
Civil Servants: Relocation
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of civil servants likely to move from London and the South East to regions in the North in each of the next five years. [102326]
Mr Maude: The spending controls on Government property are driving down the cost and size of the Government estate. Unless Cabinet Office approves otherwise, leased properties are surrendered as break options and expiries occur. This initiative has cut over 900,000 square metres of property from the estate and saved over £210 million since May 2010. As the Government estate reduces in size, retained buildings will be utilised more intensively wherever possible.
The Government are particularly focused on rationalising property in London, in addition, the relocation of civil servants outside of London continues to be considered, among other options, to increase the efficiency of the Government's estate. However it is up to individual Departments to determine any location specific demand outside London.
Electoral Register
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations he has received on a tick box system for students to register to vote, to be administered by the university on their behalf. [105102]
Mr Harper: The Government have not received any such representations.
However, the Government are working with organisations representing students to establish ways that the registration process can be as simple and accessible as possible, particularly as we implement Individual Electoral Registration.
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Freedom of Information
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what reason he has not yet published updated guidance on private e-mail accounts and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [104851]
Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 February 2012, Official Report, column 387W.
Public Consultation
Mr Weir: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which of his Department's consultations have been externally verified since 2007; for what reason and by whom such verification was carried out; and what the cost to the public purse was of such verification. [104061]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office is signed up to the code of practice on consultation, which was published in 2008, and my Department bases its consultation guidance to policy officials on the code and the guidance provided by the Better Regulation Executive in BIS at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/bre/consultation-guidance
Since 2007 no Cabinet Office consultations have been verified externally.
Mr Weir: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department collects the IP addresses of online respondents to its consultations. [104062]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office is signed up to the code of practice on consultation, which was published in 2008, and bases its consultation guidance to policy officials on the code and the guidance provided by the Better Regulation Executive in BIS at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/bre/consultation-guidance
The Cabinet Office does not collect the IP addresses of respondents to its consultations.
Mr Weir: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department accepts anonymous contributions to its consultations. [104063]
Mr Maude: Para 6.1 of the code of practice on consultation states that:
“All responses (both written responses and those fed in through other channels such as discussion forums and public meetings) should be analysed carefully.”
The Cabinet Office would consider anonymous contributions providing they were seen as valid, unique and relevant to the specific consultation.
Public Expenditure
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department allocated as resource or capital spending for (a) current grants and subsidies to domestic and overseas private sector organisations and (b) current grants to local government in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; how much he plans to allocate in (A) 2012-13, (B) 2013-14 and (C) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement. [104337]
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Mr Maude: Details of resource and capital grant programmes are set out each year in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts, and details of all transactions over £25,000 (including grants) are published on a monthly basis.
Plans for 2012-13 to 2014-15 are not yet finalised.
Home Department
Action for Employment
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts her Department held with A4e in each of the last five years; and what the value was of each contract. [103570]
Damian Green: The Home Office including its Executive agencies has held no contracts with A4e in the last five years.
Association of Chief Police Officers
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she last met the Association of Chief Police Officers; and what issues were discussed at that meeting. [104773]
Nick Herbert: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Aviation: Security
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times iris scanners at airports have broken down in the last 12 months. [101736]
Damian Green: IRIS gates were reported as faulty or broken down on 573 occasions between March 2011 and February 2012. Between March 2010 and February 2011, IRIS gates were reported as faulty or broken down on 945 occasions.
These reported fault figures reflect various levels of severity and a fault would not necessarily result in the closure of a gate. Any fault with gates has no impact on full checks being carried out on passengers—if any part of the process of carrying out checks fails, the gate(s) in question is closed until full service is restored. In addition officers continually monitor the gates to ensure they are operating effectively, to deal with any alerts and to stop any misuse of gates.
For most of the year 2011-12, there were 10 IRIS gates operating across eight locations, this has now reduced to seven IRIS gates across five locations.
Circulars: Home Office
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2011, Official Report, columns 420-21W, on Home Office circular, and with reference to Home Office circular 007/2012, when she plans to finalise proposals for a revised Home Office circular 46/2004. [105329]
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Nick Herbert: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for East Lothian (Fiona O'Donnell), on 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 17W.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish the results of the recent trial of interviews for student visa applicants from certain countries. [104137]
Damian Green [holding answer 19 April 2012]:From December 2011 to February 2012 entry clearance officers in 14 overseas posts interviewed a sample of tier 4 student applicants. The results and possible merits of publication are currently being analysed.
Immigration: Romania
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to monitor applications for entry to the UK from people resident in Bacau, Romania. [103817]
Damian Green: Romanian nationals have the right to free movement and are not subject to visa requirements. They are subject to a requirement to obtain work authorisation from the UK Border Agency before they commence employment in the United Kingdom, but they are not required to obtain this authorisation prior to entry to the UK.
Police
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Association of Chief Police Officers' partnership with the Association of Police Authorities and the Government in leading and co-ordinating the direction and development of the police service in England. [104620]
Nick Herbert: I continue to work constructively with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities on the important changes that the Government are making to deliver reforms in policing.
Police and Crime Commissioners
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received for the post of police and crime commissioner in each police force area. [104911]
Nick Herbert: Candidates who wish to stand as a police and crime commissioner will be required to declare their intention to the relevant returning officer in October.
Police: Bureaucracy
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to her answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 531W, on police: bureaucracy, what recent progress has been made by the Reducing Bureaucracy Programme Board on police bureaucracy. [103887]
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Nick Herbert: The joint Home Office and Association of Chief Police Officers Reducing Bureaucracy Programme Board continues to make significant progress in restoring police professional judgment, improving the management of risk and removing unnecessary paperwork. The Home Office will be publishing more information shortly on the work under way to cut police red tape, saving up to 3.3 million police officer hours annually.
Police: Haringey
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) police officers and (b) police staff left Haringey Borough Operational Command Unit in each quarter since January 2009; [104741]
(2) how many (a) uniformed, (b) CID and (c) all officers at the rank of sergeant and above have requested a voluntary transfer from Haringey Borough Operational Command Unit in each quarter since January 2009. [104742]
Nick Herbert: The requested information is not held centrally by the Home Office.
Police: Private Sector
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to bringing forward proposals to prevent police officers at the rank of Assistant Chief Constable or higher from taking up related posts in the private sector once they have left the service. [102535]
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Nick Herbert: Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary (HMIC) report “Without fear or favour”, published in December 2011, identified issues in relation to post-service employment of police officers.
The Home Office is working closely with the HMIC and the Association of Chief Police Officers in considering the findings from this report, and the inspectorate will conduct a follow-up review during the course of the year.
Police: Sick Leave
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many days were lost to sickness leave among police officers in each borough operational command unit of the Metropolitan police in each quarter since January 2009; [104743]
(2) how many days were lost to sickness leave amongst (a) police officers and (b) police staff in Haringey Borough Operational Command Unit in each quarter since January 2009. [104744]
Nick Herbert: The latest available information shows the total contracted hours lost to sickness among police officers in each basic command unit of the Metropolitan police, for 2008-09 by quarter and 2009-10 and 2010-11 by half-year. These figures can be seen from the table. Also shown in the second table is the total contracted hours lost to sickness among police staff in Haringey basic command unit of the Metropolitan police, 2008-09 to 2010-11 for the same periods.
| Total contracted hours lost to sickness among police officers in each basic command unit of the Metropolitan police, 2008-09 to 2010-11 by quarter (1,2,3) | ||||||||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | ||||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q2 | Q4 | Q2 | Q4 | |
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| (1) From 2009-10 onwards, figures for the number of sickness leave among police officers in each basic command unit in the Metropolitan police is collected bi-annually instead of quarterly. (2) Data are provisional and have not been confirmed with forces. (3) Care should be taken in interpreting these figures without comparative data on the numbers of officers affected. Source: Home Office using data received from police forces via the Annual Data Requirement. | ||||||||