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Sewerage Charges
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the legislation under which community residents who rely upon septic tanks for the removal of sewerage still have to pay the same increase in charges as those on main sewers. [152169]
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: The charges made for the removal, transport or disposal of septic tank waste or cesspit waste are a commercial matter between the customer and the sewerage undertaker or other firm employed to undertake these services. It is not within the scope of the price regulation administered by the Office of Water Services (Ofwat).
The suggestion has been made, in response to the public consultation on the draft Water Bill, that Ofwat should be able to regulate these prices. This suggestion will be considered alongside other comments on the draft Water Bill before its is introduced.
Local Government Ombudsman
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to change the powers of the local government ombudsman with regard to complaints of maladministration, and to ensure more rapid response to complaints. [152177]
Ms Beverley Hughes: We have now completed our consultation on the organisation and operation of the public sector ombudsmen in England, including the Local Government Ombudsman. This consultation was announced to the House on 15 June 2000, Official Report, columns 722-23W by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, and we expect to announce our conclusions shortly on how best to improve public access to the ombudsmen and their efficiency in dealing with complaints.
Foot and Mouth
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make extra funds available to local authorities in order to meet the extra demands on resources following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [152613]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The Government are concerned to ensure that all relevant bodies who face additional work as a result of undertaking their responsibilities to cope with the outbreak of foot and mouth disease are able to discharge those responsibilities comprehensively. We will be keeping under review all aspects of this, including funding.
6 Mar 2001 : Column: 154W
TREASURY
Foot and Mouth
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the census is to be postponed as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak. [151885]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated March 2001:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the possible postponement of the census due to the foot and mouth outbreak (151885).
- I am continuing to monitor the impact of the foot and mouth outbreak, and the possible implications for the Census in England and Wales.
- No one can ignore the foot and mouth outbreak. Census activities will be in accordance with whatever else is happening in the areas affected by the outbreak, including restrictions on travel and contact.
- Delivery of forms to individual households is not due to start until April 9. It is not currently possible to assess what the situation in rural areas will be at that time. I will monitor the situation on a daily basis, but I recognise that it may be necessary to alter some aspects of the practical operation in rural areas, possibly at very short notice.
- High quality enumeration is crucial to the Census. The Census rests on the goodwill and trust of the people across all communities. In the past the rural population has been well motivated to complete their forms. To enable them to do so on this occasion I will be looking at any practical options including, for example, whether the enumeration period around Census day (April 29) should be extended. I will continue to discuss what changes and precautions for staff may be necessary with the relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and other interested parties.
Working Families Tax Credit
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many earners receive working families tax credit in each unitary metropolitan authority and county of the North East region; and if he will estimate the proportion of earners in the region who are (a) in part-time work and (b) also in receipt of the childcare supplement. [152056]
Dawn Primarolo: For estimates of the number of families in each local authority in receipt of the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Dawson) on 22 January 2001, Official Report, column 425W.
There is no single definition of what comprises full-time work. The table shows an analysis by hours worked of families in the North East region receiving WFTC at August 2000, split also between those families whose awards include the childcare tax credit and other families.
(15) Estimates based on less than 25 sample cases.
Note:
Estimates based on 5 per cent. sample of awards, and therefore subject to sampling error. Estimates based on less than 25 sample cases.
6 Mar 2001 : Column: 155W
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many firms paying working families tax credit to their employees the payment of credits exceeds the amount they collect in national insurance and income tax; and how many employees in these companies receive the working families tax credit. [149858]
Dawn Primarolo: Employers whose prospective payments of tax credits in any period (up to six months) exceed the PAYE tax and national insurance contributions that they expect to deduct can apply to Inland Revenue for the additional funding required over that period. One sixth of employers paying tax credits at 31 August 2000 received funding for payment periods that spanned that date. Fur such employers, the average number of employees with awards which include payment via the employer is about 1.5.
Mr. Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employers (a) are administering the Working Families Tax Credit and (b) will be administering the employment credit. [152513]
Dawn Primarolo: At the end of August 2000 about 120,000 employers were paying Working Families Tax Credit or Disabled Person's Tax Credit to their employees.
The numbers of employers involved in payment of the employment tax credit will depend on its detailed design.
Children's Tax Credit
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Warrington, North constituency he expects to receive the children's tax credit. [151946]
Dawn Primarolo: An estimate of the number of families in the Warrington, North constituency who will be eligible to claim the children's tax credit (CTC) is unavailable, but an estimate of the number of families in the North West region of England who will be eligible to claim CTC is 625,000.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 10 January 2001 to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb), Official Report, column 568W, on children's tax credit, how many taxpayers would be affected by changing the tapers in each of the options. [151017]
Dawn Primarolo: The estimated number of taxpayers affected by reducing the annual threshold at which the Children's Tax Credit (CTC) begins to be tapered away for 2001-02 is given in the table:
6 Mar 2001 : Column: 156W
| Reduction to CTC threshold | Estimated number of taxpayers affected |
|---|---|
| £1,000 | 500,000 |
| £2,000 | 600,000 |
| £3,000 | 700,000 |
| £4,000 | 800,000 |
| £5,000 | 900,000 |
Imports (Israel)
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when, in response to the communication of April 2000 from the EU Commission, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise requested certificates of origin from the Israeli authorities for (a) Ahava cosmetics, (b) dates, (c) carpets from Barkan, (d) wines and (e) any other items; how many such requests were made for each item; how many responses have been received; and if he will list those products on which the European Commission requested a posteriori verification of certificates of origin with the Israeli authorities. [151134]
Dawn Primarolo: UK Customs has initiated the following verification inquiries:
- (a) Ahava Cosmetics--13 certificates of preferential origin were returned to Israel for verification on 11 August 2000.
- (b) Dates--72 certificates were returned for verification on 31 October 2000.
- (c) Carpets from Barkan--nine certificates were returned on 17 August 2000.
- (d) Wines--18 certificates were returned between 1 September and 13 November 2000.
- (e) Other items--between 22 June and 20 November 2000: 1 certificate was returned for brandy and liqueurs; eight certificates were returned for pencils; 58 for plastic household items; 22 for key blanks and locks; three for electrical products; and seven for other bath and skincare products.
To date, no responses have been received to these inquiries.
In addition to the products listed above the EC Commission has requested that the customs authorities initiate inquiries in respect of biscuits and Soda Stream drinks makers, where the products have been imported from Israel into the member state concerned.
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