Northallerton
Northumberland
Nottingham
Onley
Parc
Pentonville
Peterborough
Portland
Prescoed
Preston
Ranby
Reading
Risley
Rochester
Rye Hill
Send
Sheppey Cluster (Elmley and Stanford Hill)
Shepton Mallet
Shrewsbury
Spring Hill
Stafford
Stocken
Stoke Heath
Styal
Sudbury
Swansea
The Mount
Thorn Cross
Usk
Verne
Wandsworth
Warren Hill
Wayland
Wealstun
Wellingborough
Wetherby
Whatton
Whitemoor
Winchester
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1167W
Wolds
Woodhill
Wormwood Scrubs
Wymott
Prisoners: Pay
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how much in prisoner earnings has been used to fund support services for victims of crime; [105652]
(2) how many prisoners have had a net weekly wage exceeding £20 since September 2011; [105653]
(3) how many prisoners have had their earnings deducted to fund victims support services since September 2011. [105654]
Mr Blunt: The Prisoners’ Earnings Act 1996 was brought into force on 26 September 2011. It enables prison governors to apply a levy of up to 40% on the wages of low-risk prisoners who work outside of prison on temporary licence, in order to prepare for their eventual release.
In accordance with the statutory provisions, the money goes to Victim Support to enable them to provide direct, practical, paid for services for victims. We intend to publish data on the money raised from these prisoners’ earnings next month.
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) central recording system does not separately record the number of prisoners working inside prison who receive a weekly wage. To identify these costs would require examining and collating a high number of payment records from each establishment and this would incur disproportionate costs.
Prisons
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much he plans to spend on (a) building new prisons and (b) providing new prison places at existing prisons during the comprehensive spending review period. [105650]
Mr Blunt: Long-term decisions on prison capacity will be taken in the light of future policy developments.
The Prison Capacity programme, which started delivering the first of 13,163 additional places in 2007, is nearing completion at an overall cost of £1.64 billion.
Prisons: Passive Smoking
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many non-smoking (a) current and (b) former prisoners in the UK have brought cases against HM Courts and Tribunals Service due to illnesses caused by secondary smoking in the last three years. [100996]
Mr Djanogly: The Department is unaware of any claims made by prisoners brought against HM Courts and Tribunals Service due to illnesses caused by secondary smoke in the last three years. HM Courts and Tribunals Service is responsible for prisoners while they are held in holding cells at magistrates and Crown courts and has operated a non-smoking policy at these venues since 1 July 2007 when the smoking ban law was introduced in England.
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Probation
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will estimate the savings which could be achieved in (a) a full financial year and (b) a Parliament by reducing the number of probation trusts in England and Wales to between six and 10. [104633]
Mr Blunt: On 27 March 2012, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), published proposals for the reform of probation services alongside those for the reform of community sentences. One of our proposals is to give probation trusts the role of primary commissioners. It is possible that this might lead to there being fewer trusts than at present, but the eventual number of trusts, and their size, will depend on a range of factors, on which we are seeking views as part of the consultation process. We will announce our plans in due course, once we have considered the responses we receive.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what savings were made when London Probation was reorganised from five separate areas to one in Greater London in 2000-01. [104634]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information. At that time, probation services were financed under arrangements different from those currently operating and involving local government. Identifying the requested information, if it is still extant, would involve disproportionate cost.
Procurement: Small Business
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of his Department's procurement expenditure went to small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. [105881]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The proportion of Ministry of Justice (MOJ) spends with small and medium enterprises is as shown in the following table:
| Proportion represented as a percentage (%) | |
Repatriation: Democratic Republic of Congo
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of whether the Democratic Republic of Congo is a safe country to which to repatriate prisoners; and what the evidential basis is for that assessment. [105536]
Mr Blunt:
We do not have an existing mechanism for repatriation of Congolese prisoners and have not made an assessment of the conditions under which they would be returned. One of the relevant assessments made before repatriating prisoners is of prison conditions,
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1169W
using UKBA operational guidance notes and through regular liaison with British embassies and high commissions overseas.
Retirement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff of his Department retired in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how many of such staff were taking early retirement in each such year; and if he will make a statement. [104575]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The number of total retirements and early retirements for 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 and 1 April 2011 to 31 January 2012 (the last published date of data) is provided in the following table.
| Period | Total retirements in the period | Early retirements as part of the total |
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1170W
Sexual Offences
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many individuals convicted of (a) rape and (b) sexual offences were aged (i) 16 years or under, (ii) 16 to 18 years, (iii) 18 to 21 years and (iv) 21 years and over when the offence was committed in each of the last five years; [105655]
(2) what the average custodial sentence was for an offender convicted of (a) rape and (b) other sexual offences and aged (i) 16 years or under, (ii) 16 to 18 years, (iii) 18 to 21 years and (iv) 21 years and over when the offence was committed in each of the last five years. [105656]
Mr Blunt: The number of persons found guilty at all courts and sentenced to immediate custody and the average determinate custodial sentence length (months), for rape offences and other sexual offences, by age breakdown at the time of court appearance, in England and Wales from 2006 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the following tables.
Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication on 24 May 2012.
| Persons found guilty at all courts, sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence and the average custodial sentence length (months) (1) , for rape and other sexual offences by age breakdown in England and Wales, 2006-10 (2, 3) | |||||||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (4) | |||||||
| Age breakdown and offence | Found guilty | Immediate custody | Average custodial sentence length | Found guilty | Immediate custody | Average custodial sentence length | Found guilty | Immediate custody | Average custodial sentence length |
| 2009 | 2010 | |||||
| Age breakdown and offence | Found guilty | Immediate custody | Average custodial sentence length | Found guilty | Immediate custody | Average custodial sentence length |
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1171W
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1172W
| (1) Excludes life and indeterminate sentences. (2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. | ||||||
Translation Services
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate his Department has made of the number of unregistered interpreters illegally working in Crown and magistrates' courts in the last five years; and what assessment his Department has made of the possibility of a miscarriage of justice in each case which such an interpreter provided interpretation for. [105833]
Mr Djanogly: Information about unregistered interpreters working in Crown and magistrates courts since 2007 is not held centrally and this information was either not collected or is not readily accessible across the courts to enable collection.
Prior to January 2012, the Crown and magistrates courts predominantly sourced interpreters from the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). NRPSI took responsibility for the status of interpreters on their register but did not take responsibility for ensuring that the correct, qualified interpreter was assigned.
Under the current Ministry of Justice agreement relating to language services, the contractor must ensure the continuous training and development of interpreters and all interpreters are required to abide by a comprehensive code of conduct which emphasises that they should only undertake assignments for which they are competent.
The contractor must ensure that all interpreters/translators can verify their identity and credentials for every assignment. The contractor has a formal investigation process for dealing with reported issues with an interpreter. If the quality of any linguist is in question, the contractor will carry out the quality checks as highlighted in the investigation. Following this investigation the contractor will either change the qualification status of the linguist while they carry out or recommend additional training or will discontinue their engagement and strike them off the register.
Victim Support Schemes
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the right of victims of crime to receive information about their cases within a specific timeframe. [105548]
Mr Blunt: Our consultation ‘Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses' closed on 22 April. One of its key proposals is that there should be a new, clearer, Victims' Code and we have sought views on a set of principles on which we think a new Code should be based. The provision of information to victims will be one of the matters to be considered in drafting a new Code.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to monitor and enforce a new victims' code. [105549]
Mr Blunt: In our consultation document ‘Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses', published on 30 January, we set out far reaching proposals for improving services and support for victims and witnesses. A key proposal is that there should be a new, clearer, Victims' Code and we sought views on a set of principles on which we think the new Code should be based. The consultation closed on 22 April and we plan to publish the Government's response to the consultation in the summer.
As we begin to draft the new Code we will consider how best to monitor and enforce it. There will be a further consultation on the Code before we lay it before Parliament.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what evidence his Department used to estimate the cost of devolving the commissioning of victims' services; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such commissioning on the quality of service for victims and witnesses; [105550]
(2) what assessment he has made of the views of victims and witnesses of crime in developing his proposals for local commissioning of victims' services; [105551]
(3) what assessment he has made of the views of (a) Victim Support and (b) other organisations working to support victims of crime in developing his proposals for local commissioning of victims' services; [105552]
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1173W
(4) what steps he is taking to ensure local commissioning of victims' services results in the achievement of a minimum quality standard across the country; [105553]
(5) if he will consider ring-fencing the resources spent on victims' services when they are devolved to police and crime commissioners; [105673]
(6) what steps he plans to take to ensure that resources spent on victims' services are maintained when responsibility for commissioning these services is devolved to police and crime commissioners. [105674]
Mr Blunt: In the consultation document “Getting it right for Victims and Witnesses”, published on 30 January, we set out our proposals for the future commissioning of support services for victims including the proposal that Police and Crime Commissioners take on local commissioning responsibilities. An impact assessment and equality impact assessment were published at the same time.
The proposals were developed with input from organisations which support or represent victims and witnesses. Members of the public and other interested parties were encouraged to respond to the consultation and there was an opportunity to participate in a number of consultation events around the country.
The consultation also set out proposals to raise up to an additional £50 million annually from the Victim Surcharge and other financial impositions, to be used for support services for victims and witnesses in addition to the considerable sums already made available by the Government for that purpose.
The consultation closed on 22 April and as we consider the many responses we have received we shall certainly look at how to ensure that funding for victims and witnesses is used as intended. We will also consider what might need to be done to ensure the quality of victims' services, should we move to a local commissioning model.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) which consultation and discussion events on his Department's consultation paper Getting it right for Victims and Witnesses Ministers from his Department attended; [105637]
(2) when he expects to finalise his Department's Getting it right for Victims and Witnesses consultation paper; and what timetable he has set for further work in this area; [105639]
(3) which organisations (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met during consultation on the Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses paper; and whether his Department declined to meet any organisations. [105649]
Mr Blunt: The consultation closed on 22 April. We plan to publish the Government's response in the summer once we have considered the comments received.
As part of the consultation process we held eight events, including one in Edinburgh in partnership with the Scottish Government. I had committed to attend two events, one in London on 5 March and the other in Manchester on 14 March. I was disappointed that I had to withdraw from the former at the very last minute for personal reasons but attended and spoke at the latter. I
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1174W
also spoke at the All Party Parliamentary Group on victims and witnesses of crime on 21 March.
Our eight consultation events were attended by about 300 people from around 200 organisations.
It is not always practicable for Ministers or officials to accommodate specific requests for meetings. That was the case with a request from the organisation SAMM Abroad, a support group for families, partners and friends of the victims of murder and manslaughter, but the organisation was invited to our consultation events and I understand they have responded formally to the consultation.
In addition to the events referred to above my officials attended, by invitation, a meeting of the Victims' Services Alliance, of which many victims' organisations are a part, and a conference held by Mothers Against Murder and Aggression. The consultation was discussed at both of these events. Officials also had several meetings with individual organisations to discuss the consultation.
Cabinet Office
Addison Lee
Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish details of any contracts held by Departments with Addison Lee. [105959]
Mr Maude: As part of my Department’s transparency programme, details of contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on the Contracts Finder website at:
http://www.contractsfinder.co.uk
Alcoholic Drinks
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of average alcohol consumption in the UK in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date. [106017]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck dated April 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of average alcohol consumption in the UK in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date. [106017]
Figures for average alcohol consumption in 2011 and 2012 are not yet available.
Figures for 2010 are available, from the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF). However, the GLF covers Great Britain only, so a UK estimate is not available. Survey results show that average weekly alcohol consumption in Great Britain was 11.5 units per adult in 2010 (and was 11.9 units in 2009).
The 2010 General Lifestyle Survey drinking statistics are based on information provided by 13,333 respondents aged 16 and over living in private households in Great Britain. The survey defines an adult as someone aged 16 years and over. A unit of alcohol is defined as 10 ml of pure ethanol. This is equivalent to a standard measure of spirits (25ml at 40% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)).
The latest published figures on average alcohol consumption in Great Britain are included in the General Lifestyle Survey Overview Report, available on the National Statistics website at:
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1175W
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ghs/general-lifestyle-survey/2010/index.html
Figures for alcohol consumption in 2011 are due to be released in January 2013.
It is important to note that social surveys consistently record lower levels of consumption than would be expected from HMRC data on alcohol sales. This may be due to underreporting of alcohol consumption by respondents.
Government Departments: Databases
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the cost of full implementation of the G-Cloud and the Government Application Store. [105598]
Mr Maude [holding answer 26 April 2012]: The estimated cost for the G-Cloud programme (including the CloudStore) is £4.93 million. This is being met from the Cabinet Office SR10 settlement and is subject to the Efficiency and Reform Group spend and controls process. The savings it is expected the programme will deliver are estimated at £340 million.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made on plans to consolidate government data centres. [105600]
Mr Maude [holding answer 26 April 2012]: The Government's plans for data centre consolidation were laid down in the Government ICT Strategy Implementation Plan published in October 2011.
The Government is currently on track against this plan, and an update will be published shortly in the Green ICT Strategy.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many data centres the Government maintained in (a) May 2010, (b) March 2011, (c) September 2011 and (d) March 2012. [105601]
Mr Maude [holding answer 26 April 2012]: In February 2012, Cabinet Office collected baseline information on the number of data centres maintained by Departments in order to progress commitments to consolidate and rationalise data centres to help save energy and costs in line with the Government ICT Strategy.
This information will be published alongside the ICT Strategy annual update report, due shortly.
Information on the number of data centres across Government prior to February 2012 is not available.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made towards the targets set by the Government in March 2011 to reduce the cost and carbon footprint of Government data centres. [105602]
Mr Maude [holding answer 26 April 2012]: The Green ICT strategy published at the end of October 2011 made a number of commitments around data centres. These will be reported in the Green ICT strategy first annual report and assessment due to be published shortly.
The Cabinet Office has collected the baseline information from Departments around the cost and energy consumed by Government data centres and their servers and is
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1176W
actively working to consolidate and rationalise Government data centres which will save energy and costs.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made on the implementation of G-Cloud computing. [105603]
Mr Maude [holding answer 26 April 2012]: The G-Cloud programme is making good progress.
Local Government: Procurement
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of local authorities have placed their contracts on the Government's Contracts Finder website. [105880]
Mr Maude: Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the contracts they award. Local authorities are not required, but are encouraged, to use Contracts Finder. Nevertheless, as of 25 April 2012, 75 of the 353 English local authorities (21%) had published contracts on Contracts Finder.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to encourage local authorities to place their procurement contracts on the Government's Contracts Finder website. [105888]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office has been working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government so that they can assist with embedding the use of Contracts Finder within local authorities.
We have been raising awareness of Contracts Finder through various speaking engagements and demonstrations to local authorities.
Population
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate his Department has made of the projected population in the Bradford district in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 20 years. [105802]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated April 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question what estimate has been made of the projected population in the Bradford district in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 20 years. [105802]
Estimates of future population are available as population projections. The most recent subnational population projections are based on mid-year population estimates for 2010.
The total population of Bradford local authority is projected to be (a) 537,800 persons at mid-year 2017, (b) 559,100 persons at mid-year 2022, and (c) 594,100 persons at mid-year 2032.
Public Appointments
Kate Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of public appointments are remunerated; and what the average daily rate of pay is for such appointments. [104458]
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1177W
Mr Maude: Public appointment roles vary significantly and rates of remuneration if provided depend on the nature of individual posts.
The Cabinet Office does not hold information on the proportion of public appointments that are remunerated.
Kate Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance his Department has issued on deciding whether a public appointment should be remunerated; and what criteria should be considered by those making such decisions. [104459]
Mr Maude: Responsibility for determining whether a public appointment is to be remunerated lies with the sponsoring Department. The Cabinet Office is currently revising its guidance to Departments on public appointments and will publish this shortly. Previous guidance on remuneration and related issues is contained in “Making and Managing Public Appointments, a Guide for Departments” which is currently available on the civil service website at:
http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/public-appointments
Public Sector: Procurement
Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the provisions of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 are implemented during new procurement negotiations. [105883]
Mr Maude: When it is brought into force, the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 will require contracting authorities to consider the full social, environmental and economic value of public services procurements at the pre-procurement stage. Public procurers following best practice will already be considering these factors to ensure that their services are fit for purpose and represent value for money.
Michael Dugher:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made in reducing fraud,
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1178W
overdue debt and errors in public procurement; and how much has been saved through such initiatives since May 2010. [105887]
Mr Maude: This Government is providing fresh leadership and focus on reducing fraud, error and debt owed to Government. In 2010, I established a Fraud, Error and Debt Taskforce.
The taskforce published two reports earlier this year setting out this Government’s commitment to tackling fraud, error and debt in all areas of Government business including public procurement. On procurement, the Home Office and Department for Transport have undertaken spend recovery audits, identifying overpayments to suppliers caused by fraud or error, and recovering the resultant debt. This has allowed the two Departments to recover £4.5 million between them.
All Government Departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies will undertake a ‘spend-recovery’ audit on their accounts payable system by December 2013.
The Cabinet Office will provide support across Government to ensure every Department carries out a similar spend recovery audit by December 2013 generating estimated savings of between £50 million and £100 million.
Retirement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (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; [104158]
(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. [104542]
Mr Maude: The following table sets out details of staff who have retired from the Cabinet Office during 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 indicating in brackets those taking approved early retirement.
| Grade | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | Total |
Job Vacancies
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 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. [104543]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office does not retain records on the number of open vacancies on particular dates. However, the Department maintains a deliberately high level of turnover as part of its resourcing model, ensuring that it can bring in the best talent from other Government Departments and more widely to ensure that it has the skills and experience it needs to address changing priorities.
Treasury
Alcoholic Drinks: Prices
Ian Austin:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the comments of the Economic Secretary to the Treasury of 14 December 2011,
30 Apr 2012 : Column 1179W
Official Report,
column 341WH, what recent advice he has received on whether a minimum unit price for alcohol could be incompatible with article 34 of the Treaty of the European Union. [103451]
James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
The advice which the Government has received on this issue is subject to legal privilege. We do not, therefore, believe it appropriate to disclose this advice (or any summary of it). The Government is currently in discussions with the EU Commission on this issue.
Annuities
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make it his policy that annuity brokers should only receive fees from the prospective annuitant and prohibit all payments to annuity brokers by annuity providers and their agents; [105911]
(2) if he will make it his policy that application fees charged to prospective annuitants seeking an enhanced or impaired life annuity are subject to the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [105912]
Mr Hoban: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is reforming the retail investment market through the Retail Distribution Review (RDR). From 31 December 2012, all firms that give advice on retail investment products to retail clients will have to comply with new rules on adviser charging. Under adviser charging, firms that give advice are paid by charges that are set out up-front and agreed with their clients, rather than by commissions set by product providers.
Annuities are retail investment products and are therefore in scope of the RDR's adviser charging rules. Providers of annuities will be prohibited from paying intermediaries, such as annuity brokers, commission for advised sales. Commission is still payable for non-advised sales.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was incorporated into the Equality Act 2010. Prospective annuitants seeking an enhanced or impaired life annuity who fall within the definition set out in the Act are subject to the provisions of this Act.
Average Earnings
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of taxpayers in (a) Scotland, (b) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland and (c) each local authority area in Scotland earning (i) £150,000 to £200,000, (ii) £200,000 to £250,000, (iii) £250,000 to £300,000, (iv) £300,000 to £350,000, (v) £350,000 to £400,000, (vi) £400,000 to £450,000, (vii) £450,000 to £500,000, (viii) £500,000 to £1,000,000 and (ix) over £1,000,000 in (A) 2012-13 and (B) each of the next three financial years; and what the average effect on income tax liabilities will be of the changes on income tax thresholds and rates made by his Budget Statement. [102754]
Mr Gauke: Reliable projections of taxpayer numbers at specific high income levels are not available for Government Office Regions or lower geographies.
Budget 2012 announced a number of measures principally affecting individuals with income over £150,000.
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Taken together, it is estimated that the reduction in the additional rate of income tax to 45%, the 25% cap on income tax reliefs above £50,000 and the increase in stamp duty rates for high value properties will result in an expected average contribution to the Exchequer from those with incomes above £150,000 of an additional £1,300 per year.
Banks: EU Law
Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on UK borrowers of the EU Bank Capital Requirements Directive. [102322]
Mr Hoban: On 20 July 2011, the European Commission adopted proposals on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms, which will replace the current capital requirements directive with a regulation and a directive. The first is the draft regulation on prudential requirements and the second is the draft directive on the access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms. I refer the hon. Member to my Explanatory Memorandum on the Commission's proposals, of which copies are available in the Library.
Media Ownership
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on which dates his special adviser Rupert Harrison has received or sent emails relating to official business, from any email account, to any representative or senior employee of (a) News Corp, (b) BSkyB and (c) other companies owned by Rupert Murdoch in the last two years; [105970]
(2) on how many occasions his special adviser Rupert Harrison has (a) met and (b) exchanged emails with Graham McWilliam of BSkyB in the last two years. [105968]
Miss Chloe Smith: Our records show that Rupert Harrison has not sent or received any emails relating to official business to any representative or senior employee of News Corp, BSkyB or any other company owned by Rupert Murdoch in the last two years. Nor has he met or exchanged emails with Graham McWilliam.
Business: Government Assistance
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2011, Official Report, column 77W, on business: Government assistance, whether state aid approval has been received for the projects mentioned. [105381]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 25 April 2012]:The status of state aid approval for the three policies announced at Budget 2011 mentioned is as follows:
(a) State aid approval has been received regarding changes announced in Budget 2011 to the research and development tax credits for small and medium-sized enterprises.
(b) The Government expects a positive decision from the European Commission on state aid approval for the reforms to Enterprise Investment Scheme and Venture Capital Trusts to be adopted next month.
(c) The Government secured state aid approval for an 80% discount from the climate change levy for the metal recycling industries until 31 March 2018.
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Business: Regulation
Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis the £1 billion reduction in costs to business over five years as a result of the rationalisation of environmental regulations was calculated. [102199]
Richard Benyon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The simplification proposals announced under the Red Tape Challenge environment theme on 19 March relate to a wide range of policy areas and are expected to provide significant savings to business once implemented. The full set of proposals is explained at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13728-red-tape-environment.pdf
These proposals will, in most cases, require individual impact assessments to be prepared to both support further consultations and before regulatory changes are finalised and introduced. Nevertheless the announcement itself specified estimated cost savings for three of the 185 measures listed to be changed. These alone are calculated to provide combined savings of £174 million per annum and we are confident that the entire package of proposals, once implemented, will therefore save more than £1 billion over five years.
A more detailed implementation plan will now be prepared before the summer recess. This will enable further details to be made available, including the expected timetable for taking forward each of the proposals.
Caravans
Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of holiday caravans sold each year which conform with British Standard 3632. [103531]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 18 April 2012]: Annex B—Tables of Impact for Individual Measures—in HM Revenue and Customs consultation document ‘VAT: Addressing Borderline Anomalies’, published at Budget 2012, sets out estimates for VAT which will be raised from holiday caravans and a summary of impacts upon which comments are invited.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/vat-con-4801.pdf
Child Benefit
Bill Esterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of households with an income over £50,000 per annum which will retain the full level of child benefit after the implementation of the proposals in his 2010 Budget. [103489]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 18 April 2012]:In 2013-14 there will be approximately 920,000 households with family income above £50,000 per year that will retain all of their child benefit.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of child benefit fraud his Department is currently investigating. [104961]
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Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 April 2012]:HM Revenue and Customs' Benefits and Credits Claimant compliance team currently have 3,556 child benefit cases open for investigation.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of time for a child benefit fraud investigation to be concluded was in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date. [104962]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 April 2012]:The information is set out in the table.
| Average time taken to conclude a child benefit fraud investigation (weeks) | |
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints his Department has received on the length of time taken to complete a child benefit fraud investigation in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date. [104963]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 April 2012]:The information requested is not available.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints of child benefit fraud were upheld in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date. [104964]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 April2012]:The information requested is not available.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials worked in the child benefit fraud team in his Department in each region in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available. [105003]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 April 2012]:HM Revenue and Customs' Benefits and Credits Operations staff that work on child benefit compliance cases are centrally located. The information is set out as follows.
| Full-time equivalent staff | |
Mr Woodward: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the number of recipients of child benefit in St Helens South and Whiston constituency who will no longer be entitled to receive it following the implementation of his proposed changes in January 2013; [105572]
(2) how many successful claimants of child tax credits resident in St Helens South and Whiston constituency waited longer than 31 days from the date of claiming to the payment of the award in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and what the average length of time taken was to process their claims in each year. [105573]
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Mr Gauke: The number of recipients of child benefit in St Helens South and Whiston constituency who will no longer be entitled to receive it following the implementation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s proposed changes in January 2013 is not available, due to small sample sizes.
The number of successful claimants of child tax credits resident in St Helens South and Whiston constituency who waited longer than 31 days from the date of claiming to the payment of the award would be available only at disproportionate cost.
Child Tax Credit
Mr Nuttall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families received the family element of child tax credit in the Bury North constituency as at 31 December (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; [104687]
(2) how many families received the child element of child tax credit in the Bury North constituency as at 31 December (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; [104688]
(3) how many families received the disabled child element of child tax credit in the Bury North constituency as at 31 December (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; [104684]
(4) how many families received the severely disabled child element of child tax credit in the Bury North constituency as at 31 December (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011. [104685]
Mr Gauke: The number of families benefiting from the family and child elements of child tax credit is available in the HMRC publication ‘Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Finalised Annual Awards 2009-10 Geographical Analysis’, available at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-final-awards-may11.pdf
Data for Bury North can be found in table 3. The number of families benefiting from the family element is the sum of total out-of-work families and in-work families with children. This is approximately 9.4 thousand for Bury North.
The number of families benefiting from the child element is the sum of total out-of-work families and in-work families with children receiving WTC and CTC or CTC above the family element. This is approximately 6.6 thousand for Bury North.
2009-10 is the latest year for which information is currently available. 2010-11 data will be published on 31 May 2012 and 2011-12 will be available in May 2013.
The rest of the information requested is provided in the following table. Again, the latest information available is for 2009-10.
| Number of families receiving the disabled child and severely disabled child elements of child tax credit in Bury North in 2009-10 | |
| Thousand | |
Karen Lumley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Redditch constituency received the child element of child tax credit in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011. [105810]
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Mr Gauke: This information is available for 2009-10 in the HMRC publication “Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Finalised Annual Awards 2009-10 Geographical Analysis”, available here:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-final-awards-may11.pdf
Data for Redditch can be found in table 3. The number of families benefiting from the child element is the sum of total out-of-work families and in-work families with children receiving WTC and CTC or CTC above the family element. This is approximately 6,200 for Redditch.
2009-10 is the latest year for which information is currently available. 2010-11 data will be published on 31 May 2012 and 2011-12 will be available in May 2013.
Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families will no longer be entitled to tax credits as a result of the decision in the June 2010 Budget to taper the family element of child tax credit straight after the child element. [105961]
Mr Gauke: This information is not available.
The measure referred to in the question is the abolition of the second threshold for child tax credit and is part of a range of reforms to the tax credits system announced at the spending review. All of the tax credits measures interact with each other and isolating the impact of any of these measures will not be representative of the overall change in a family’s tax credit award.
The Government published estimates of the distributional impact of the packages of announced tax and benefit measures which can be found at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexa.pdf
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_annexb.pdf
Community Security Trust
Mr Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of his speech to the Community Security Trust annual dinner on 29 February 2012; and if he will make a statement. [R] [102335]
Miss Chloe Smith: A copy of the published speech has been placed in the Library of the House.
Corporation Tax
Mr Mudie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many FTSE 100 companies paid less than 15 per cent corporation tax in each of the last five years. [104602]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 April 2012]: Since 2007-08, UK corporation tax has been charged at rates above 20% on all taxable profits.
John Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether clinical commissioning groups will be liable to pay corporation tax in the event that the legislation envisaged in the Red Book, page 79, is not enacted; and whether current primary care trusts are liable to pay corporation tax. [105863]
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Mr Gauke: The Government announced at the Budget that it will legislate in Finance Bill 2013 to exempt Clinical Commissioning Groups from corporation tax. In the absence of specific exemptions, all bodies corporate are liable to tax on profits arising in the UK.
Section 985 of Corporation Tax Act 2010 provides that primary care trusts are not liable to corporation tax.
Guy Opperman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has assessed the merits of simplifying the filing of corporation tax returns for those in rural areas who do not have access to broadband. [106226]
Mr Gauke: The needs of people in rural areas were considered before online filing was made mandatory for companies. Access to broadband has been available to over 99.8% of the UK household population since 2006. In any case, broadband access is not essential for online filing. A dial-up connection is sufficient.
Devolution: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in inter-governmental talks with the Welsh government on funding reform. [105575]
Danny Alexander: Bilateral discussions are continuing between the Government and the Welsh Government on all proposals arising from the Holtham Commission. Any decisions will be announced in the normal way.
Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks
Mr Barron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Duty Paid tax stamp for spirits in protecting revenue from excise duty since its introduction; [105955]
(2) how many printers print UK tax paid labels for spirits in (a) the UK and (b) Europe; and how many printers based overseas print such labels; [105965]
(3) by what means spirits manufacturers and label printers inform HM Revenue and Customs when UK tax paid labels for spirits are lost or stolen; [105966]
(4) how many UK tax paid labels for spirits were lost or stolen in each financial year between 2005-06 and 2010-11. [105967]
Miss Chloe Smith: Spirits duty stamps were introduced in 2006 as a key plank of HM Revenue and Customs' strategy to address alcohol duty fraud. Estimated revenue losses from spirits fraud were £320 million in that year, and reduced to £130 million by the end of 2009-10. However it has not been possible to assess the specific effect of duty stamps on fraud within the impact of the overall strategy.
HMRC does not hold information on the number of printers printing label stamps (also known as Type B stamps). However, as of April 2012, there were 434 businesses authorised to apply Type B stamps, of which 175 are based overseas.
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If duty stamps or the disc incorporating the design specification are lost or stolen businesses must notify HMRC by the end of the business day following the day when the loss or theft, or the discovery of it, occurred. This is done by contacting HMRC's Duty Stamps Services Team with certain key information relating to the stamps. Since the introduction of duty stamps in 2006, there have been 35 reported instances of loss or theft.
Excise Duties: Fuels
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make representations to the Government of Belgium to enable owners of UK leisure craft to use port facilities without fear of prosecution when the vessels are powered by red diesel purchased in the UK in accordance with UK tax regulations; and if he will make a statement. [105928]
Miss Chloe Smith: The use of red diesel to propel private pleasure craft with full duty paid is allowed within UK waters under UK legislation. If red diesel is used outside UK waters the national legislation, including the restrictions and prohibitions of other member states, which include Belgium, or any other country in whose coastal waters it is used, applies.
Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of evasion of vehicle excise duty. [106355]
Miss Chloe Smith: Vehicle excise duty collection has a compliance rate of over 99%. It is estimated that vehicle excise duty evasion could have cost around £40 million in lost revenue in Great Britain in 2011-12. Further information is published by the Department for Transport at
www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/releases/vehicle-excise-duty-evasion-estimates-2011
Female Staff
Michael Dugher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the proportion of female civil servants was in his Department at the level of director and above in the second quarter of 2011-12. [105892]
Miss Chloe Smith: In the second quarter of 2011-12, the proportion of female civil servants at the level of director and above in HM Treasury was 29.2%.
Financial Institutions: EU Law
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential capacity of the Financial Conduct Authority to implement the EU transparency directive. [105795]
Mr Hoban: Those in the Financial Services Authority currently responsible for implementing the objectives of the transparency directive will become part of the Financial Conduct Authority.
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Financial Services: EU Internal Trade
Lorely Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value of exports in financial services to other EU countries was in each of the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement. [102178]
Mr Hoban: The Office for National Statistics publishes data on trade surpluses with other countries in its Pink Book. This is publically available on its website.
GDP: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the change in the GDP of Wales was between the last quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. [106153]
Danny Alexander: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes annual estimates of gross value added for the nine English regions and each of the devolved countries.
The latest publication covers the year 2010 and is available here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-accounts/regional-gross-value-added--income-approach-/december-2011/index.html
Data for 2011 will be published in December 2012.
Every quarter, the ONS also produces on behalf of the Welsh Government the Index of Production and Construction and the Welsh Index of Market Services. These indices show the short-term movements in the output of production, construction and market service sector companies within Wales.
The latest publications cover the fourth quarter of 2011 and are available here:
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/economy2012/120410/?lang=en
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/economy2012/1204101/?lang=en
Data for the first quarter of 2012 will be published on 24 July 2012.
Green Deal Scheme
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has placed conditions on the £200 million additional funding allocated to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the introduction of the Green Deal; and what those conditions are. [105832]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Government will set out its proposals for the £200 million to incentivise early take up of the Green Deal in due course. These resources are scored to provide support for the Green Deal through public spending.
Health and Social Care Act 2012
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the levels of Barnett consequentials to the Scottish block grant arising from the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill. [95083]
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Danny Alexander: The costs of the Health and Social Care Bill will be met from within existing baselines from the current spending review. Therefore there will be no additional Barnett consequentials.
Income Tax
Steve McCabe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who will be affected by his decision to increase the personal tax allowance; and what estimate he has made of the average level of financial benefit for such people. [103072]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 18 April 2012]: The 2012 Budget announced a £1,100 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £9,205 in 2013-14, £850 above expected RPI indexation, and representing the largest increase in the level of the personal allowance in both cash and real terms for the last 30 years.
The basic rate limit will be reduced so that most higher rate taxpayers will get one quarter of the benefit a typical basic rate taxpayer will receive. The national insurance upper earnings and profits limits will also be reduced to maintain alignment with the income tax higher rate threshold.
As a result of these changes, the Government estimates that 23.6 million taxpayers in total will benefit, gaining an annual average £152, 22.5 million of whom will gain by £170, and an estimated 1.8 million taxpayers with income above £41,450 will have an annual average loss of £185.
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.
Jonathan Lord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Woking constituency pay income tax at (a) 20 per cent, (b) 40 per cent and (c) 50 per cent; and how much revenue was raised from (i) income tax and (ii) national insurance contributions in Woking constituency in the tax year (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11. [103429]
Mr Gauke: It is estimated that there were 48,000 basic rate taxpayers and 11,000 higher rate taxpayers in Woking parliamentary constituency in 2009-10, with a total estimated income tax liability of £455 million.
These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data, the latest outturn survey available. Reliable estimates for later years, based on the projected SPI data, are not available due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas.
Data on the number of additional rate taxpayers at parliamentary constituency level are not published.
It is estimated that total national insurance contributions (NIC) liabilities in Woking parliamentary constituency are £250 million in 2009-10 including employer contributions paid in respect of people resident in Woking.
NIC estimates are based on a 1% sample of 2009-10 NICs and PAYE service data for employees and employers and 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data for self-employed individuals.
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Mr Nuttall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals resident in Bury North constituency pay income tax at (a) 20, (b) 40 and (c) 50 per cent. [104333]
Mr Gauke: It is estimated that there were 42,000 basic rate taxpayers and 3,000 higher rate taxpayers in Bury North parliamentary constituency in 2009-10.
These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data, the latest outturn survey available. Reliable estimates for later years based on the projected SPI data, are not available due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas.
Estimates of additional rate taxpayer numbers are not published for local areas.
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Warrington North constituency pay income tax at the (a) 20 per cent, (b) 40 per cent and (c) 50 per cent rate. [104707]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 April 2012]: It is estimated that there were 43,000 basic rate taxpayers and 4,000 higher rate taxpayers in Warrington North parliamentary constituency in 2009-10.
These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data, the latest outturn survey available. Reliable estimates for later years based on the projected SPI data, are not available due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas.
Estimates of additional rate taxpayer numbers are not published for local areas.
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are liable for the 50 pence income tax rate in (a) Portsmouth South constituency and (b) the Portsmouth tax district. [106356]
Mr Gauke: Data on the number of additional rate tax payers at parliamentary constituency and local authority levels are not published.
Income Tax: Allowances
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of raising the income tax personal allowance to (a) £10,000, (b) £15,000 and (c) £20,000. [99245]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 12 March 2012]: Estimated costs of increasing the personal allowance from £8,105 to the specified levels in 2012-13 are shown in the following table:
| Level of personal allowances | Cost of increases in 2012-13 (£ billion ) |
Age-related allowances in 2012-13 will be £10,500 for individuals aged 65 to 74 and £10,660 for individuals aged 75 and over. The estimated costs of raising the personal allowance to £15,000 and £20,000 assume that the age-related allowances rise to the same levels.
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Estimated Exchequer costs are on an accruals basis and assume that the basic rate limit remains at £34,370.
The estimates assume no accompanying changes in national insurance contribution (NICs) upper thresholds.
These estimates are based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes data projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.
Income Tax: Rates and Bands
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people resident in Carshalton and Wallington constituency who will no longer pay income tax as a result of (a) the proposed increase in the personal allowance from April 2012 and (b) the proposed increase in the personal allowance to £10,000 by April 2015. [101659]
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 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.
Reliable estimates are not available at parliamentary constituency level, due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas and small sample sizes.
The 2012 Budget announced a £1,100 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £9,205 in 2013-14 (£850 above expected 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:
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| 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.
The Government is 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.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people resident in Cambridge constituency who will no longer pay income tax consequent on the proposed increase in the personal allowance (a) from April 2012 and (b) to £10,000 by April 2015. [101664]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 23 March 2012]: The 2011 Budget announced a £630 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £8,105 in 2012-13 (£240 above expected 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) |
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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.
The 2012 Budget announced a £1,100 cash increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £9,205 in 2013-14 (£850 above expected 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 is 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.
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers in each (a) parliamentary constituency in Scotland and (b) each local authority area in Scotland were in the (i) 20%, (ii) 40% and (iii) 50% income tax bands in 2011-12; and what estimate he has made of the number of such people in (A) 2012-13 and (B) 2013-14. [102358]
Mr Gauke: The estimated number of taxpayers in Scotland is shown in the table.
| Taxpayers | |||
| Thousand | |||
| Basic rate (1) | Higher rate | Additional rate | |
| (1) Includes individuals with income tax liabilities due on savings at the10p starting rate only or the ordinary dividends rate only. | |||
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Estimates of additional rate taxpayer numbers by country are subject to considerable uncertainties. Reliable estimates are not available at the parliamentary constituency or local authority level, due to greater uncertainties in projections for smaller geographical areas and small sample sizes.
These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data projected in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2012 economic and fiscal outlook.
The majority of those brought into higher rate tax in 2013-14 will still pay less income tax and national insurance because of the increase in the personal allowance announced in Budget 2012.
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency who will no longer pay income tax due to his proposed increase in the personal allowance from April 2012. [102397]
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.
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| 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.
Reliable estimates are not available at the parliamentary constituency level, due to greater uncertainties in making projections for small geographical areas and small sample sizes.
Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of taxpayers whose liability to pay income tax has been eliminated as a consequence of their making tax deductible charitable donations. [102500]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 16 April 2012]: The following table shows the effective tax rates of those on the highest incomes.
| Proportion of individuals reporting various average tax rates by total income category, 2010-11 | |||||||
| Percentage | |||||||
| Income | |||||||
| Average tax rates | £100,000 to £150,000 | £150,000 to £250,000 | £250,000 to £500,000 | £500,000 to £1 million | £1 million to £5 million | £5 million to £10 million | Over £10 million |
| Source: HMRC. | |||||||
The information regarding the number of taxpayers whose liability to pay income tax has been eliminated as a consequence of their making tax deductible charitable donations is not available.
There are various ways in which charity donation reliefs can be claimed via Gift Aid, gifts of land and shares or payroll giving schemes. This information is not centrally captured.
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason in HM Revenue and Customs' assessment of the tax yield of the 50 per cent top rate of tax a Taxable Income Elasticity (TIE) of 0.35 was used in 2009 but a TIE of 0.48 was used in 2012. [102526]
Mr Gauke: HMRC’s Report “The Exchequer effect of the 50% additional rate of income tax” was published on Budget day. It is available at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/excheq-income-tax-2042.pdf
This provides full details of the evidence around Taxable Income Elasticities (TIE). In particular Chapter 3 (Paragraph 3.9) sets out the basis for the costing in 2009. Chapter 4 summarises other evidence on behavioural responses. Chapter 5 sets out the methodology used by HMRC to arrive at new estimates of the elasticity. Chapter 6 explains why it was concluded that the underlying behavioural response was greater than previously estimated.
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason he commissioned the report on The Exchequer effect of the 50 per cent additional rate of income tax from HM Revenue and Customs rather than from the Office for Budget Responsibility. [102527]
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Mr Gauke: The analysis used taxpayer information in self assessment returns that only HM Revenue and Customs officials have access to under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005. HM Treasury Ministers, HM Treasury officials and the Office for Budget Responsibility do not have access to this information to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
The HM Revenue and Customs analysis was shared with the Office for Budget Responsibility and was used by them in their independent forecast of the public finances.
The Office for Budget Responsibility also used this analysis to certify the Government's costing of the reduction in the additional rate to 45% and endorsed it as a reasonable and central estimate.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), made reference to this in his Budget speech, for which I refer the hon. Member to, on 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 806.
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he became aware that the revenue produced by the 50 per cent top rate of tax was less than had been expected by the Government; and what steps he subsequently took to tackle tax avoidance associated with that rate. [102531]
Mr Gauke: At Budget 2011, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced that HM Revenue and Customs would review the effectiveness of the 50% additional rate of income tax. This report drew from self-assessment returns received in January 2012. The report shows that the additional rate is a distortive and economically inefficient way of raising revenue, and that the behavioural response has been larger than expected. This is why Budget 2012 reduced the additional rate of tax from 50% to 45%.
Budget 2012 announced a cap on unlimited income tax reliefs from April 2012. This will increase effective tax rates and help ensure that those with the highest incomes pay a fairer share. The Government will consult on a General Anti-Abuse Rule with a view to legislating in Finance Bill 2013.
The Chancellor also reaffirmed in the 2012 Budget, this Government’s commitment to tackle tax avoidance. Measures announced in the Budget will bring in £1 billion of revenue over the next five years and will protect a further £10 billion over that period.
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers in Warrington were in the (a) 20 per cent., (b) 40 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent. income tax bands in the last financial year for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the number who will fall into each band in each of the next two financial years. [102549]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 16 April 2012]: It is estimated that there were 93,000 basic rate taxpayers and 12,000 higher rate taxpayers in Warrington Unitary authority in 2009-10.
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The majority of those, brought into higher rate tax will still pay less income tax and national insurance in 2013-14 because of the increase in the personal allowance announced in Budget 2012.
These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data. Reliable estimates for later years are not available due to greater uncertainties in projections for small geographical areas.
Data on the number of additional rate tax payers at local authority level are not published.