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Benefit Fraud
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many SPOTLIGHTS on benefit cheats have been carried out since May 1997. [73993]
Mr. Timms
[holding answer 2 March 1999]: We have incorporated many of the approaches and techniques of "spotlight" into a programme of anti-fraud drives involving the Benefits Agency, local authorities, the Police and other agencies which target specific areas of fraud and abuse. Since May 1997 there have been no anti-fraud campaigns under the specific banner of "spotlight on benefit cheats". However, we have put more resources into the fight against fraud with the result that £1.9 billion has been detected in 1997-98 compared with £1.5 billion in 1996-97. As well as detecting fraud, we have tightened the checking of new Income Support claims so as to prevent fraud from entering the system from the outset. This will save an estimated £200 million in the current year.
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 806
Beer Duty
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding progressive beer duty; and if he will make a statement. [67946]
Mrs. Roche: I have received representations about progressive beer duty from the Independent Family Brewers of Britain and the Society of Independent Brewers. Customs and Excise keep the structure of beer under constant review.
Tax Credits
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if decisions of the Inland Revenue General and Special Commissioners with regard to working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit will be published. [67985]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 1 March 1999]: Most appeals in relation to Working Families Tax Credit will be dealt with by the Unified Appeals Tribunals. Appeals relating to employers will be to the General and Special Commissioners and these will be subject to the same reporting considerations as other tax appeals coming before the Commissioners.
Working Families Tax Credit
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from (a) the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) and (b) other Liberal Democrat hon. Members concerning the working families tax credit. [68336]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 1 March 1999]: Treasury Ministers have received numerous representations on the subject of the Working Families Tax Credit from hon. Members and other interested parties.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what research his Department has commissioned on the national impact of the proposed working families tax credit on poorer income groups; [69851]
- (2) what research his Department has commissioned on the impact of the proposed working families tax credit on poorer income groups. [70215]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government have carried out extensive work on all aspects of WFTC and its implementation.
Agenda 2000
Mr. David Heath: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between the calculation of the British rebate under the Fontainebleau Agreement and the proposed system of co-financing of the Common Agricultural Policy in the Agenda 2000 proposals. [71647]
Ms Hewitt:
Co-financing is one of the ideas explored in the Commission's Own Resources Report, but no legislative proposal has been formally tabled. The value of the rebate depends on the difference between the UK's contributions to the EC Budget and EC spending in this country.
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 807
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of each type of 714 certificate have been issued in each of the last three years. [74134]
Dawn Primarolo:
The number of certificates issued in the last three years are as follows:
These figures include certificates issued to replace documents which have been lost or damaged. Certificates generally have a life of up to three years, so many certificate holders will have applied for just one certificate in this three year period.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning the construction industry scheme. [74133]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Inland Revenue has consulted widely and at length with the construction industry and other representative bodies, including the construction industry unions and the Federation of Small Businesses. Broadly the representatives welcome the new scheme, which is designed to reduce the level of tax evasion in the construction industry. Naturally, concerns have been raised by those subcontractors who may not qualify for gross payment certificates under the new rules. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) on 26 January 1999, Official Report, column 223, explaining the steps we have taken to address these concerns.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is planning as a result of the Office of Fair Trading report on vulnerable consumers and financial services; and if he will make a statement. [74174]
Ms Hewitt:
The Director General's report is being studied by the policy action team on access to financial services, set up following the Social Exclusion Unit's report "Bringing Britain together".
Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that IMF support for South Korea is not used to subsidise South Korean shipyards. [74011]
Ms Hewitt:
The UK strongly supports Korea's IMF programme, the benefits of which are now being felt as that country begins to move out of recession. A revived Korean economy will provide increased opportunities for UK exporters.
There is no evidence that IMF support for South Korea has been used to subsidise the Korean shipbuilding industry. As a member of the World Trade Organisation, South Korea is bound by internationally agreed rules on the use of industrial subsidies. Furthermore, as part of its
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 808
IMF programme Korea has ceased the practice of trade-related subsidies. However, the UK remains watchful for unfair trade practices throughout the world.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultation he has had with the Banking/Credit Union Taskforce following receipt of their interim report; what advice he has given regarding the focus for the final report; what is the timetable for publication; and if he will make a statement. [74177]
Ms Hewitt:
I see the taskforce Chairman from time to time, to discuss progress. I expect the final report, due in the summer, to deal with the issues set out in the remit announced on 28 July 1998.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the method of setting exchange rates on entry to the euro for those who joined in January; and how the rate will be decided for the pound in the event of sterling being replaced by the euro. [74124]
Ms Hewitt:
The rate at which sterling would enter the single currency would need to be consistent with economic fundamentals in the UK and compatible with sustainable convergence between the UK and the euro-area. This was the basis for the decision on the conversion rates of currencies which joined the single currency in January 1999.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he proposes to maintain relative stability between sterling and the euro for a fixed period before the national changeover plan comes into operation. [74120]
Ms Hewitt:
The Government's policy is for a stable and competitive exchange-rate over the medium term. The Government's fiscal and monetary policy framework will help to deliver the macroeconomic stability needed for a stable exchange rate.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the gross and net (a) payments to and (b) receipts from the European Union per capita in respect of each member state in each of the last three years. [74119]
Ms Hewitt:
The European Commission document "Financing the European Union--Commission Report on the Operation of the Own Resources System" contains information on the net contributions of Member States for the years 1992-97 inclusive, and gives this figure in Mecus (million ecus) and as a percentage of GNP. This report has been deposited in the Commons Library.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the abolition of dividend tax credits on the investment income of the Public Trust Office with particular reference to funds held for disabled children arising from compensation awards. [73807]
3 Mar 1999 : Column: 809
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 1 March 1999]: The Government withdrew payable credits to remove a bias in the tax system against the retention of profits for investment. It is for the Public Trust Office to review the investments under its management and to make investment decisions in the interests of the beneficiaries in question.
Year ended 31 January 1999: 141,234
Year ended 31 January 1998: 237,995
Year ended 31 January 1997: 171,424.
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