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2 Jul 2003 : Column 270W—continued
Underground (Masks)
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions London Underground has given drivers on wearing protective masks; for what reasons; and if he will make a statement. [121888]
Mr. McNulty: London Underground tell me that they have asked train drivers not to wear dust masks because all research to date has shown that there are no known health risks arising from tunnel dust. The same situation is found on all other underground systems around the world.
TREASURY
Business Support Teams
Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue Business Support Teams there are; what areas the teams serve; and if he will make a statement. [122823]
Dawn Primarolo: There are 66 Business Support Teams covering the whole of the United Kingdom. Each team is made up of a number of Business Advisers who are located in one or more sites across each Area Management Unit. The Teams provide education mainly around payroll administration, but also cover aspects of self-employment, self-assessment and the construction industry.
The Chancellor is today announcing a major review of our organisations dealing with tax policy and administration.
The review will report to Treasury Ministers and be chaired by Gus O'Donnell, Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, working closely with the revenue departments and their Chairmen.
The Chancellor is asking that the work be completed in time to announce initial conclusions and any next steps in this year's Pre-Budget Report.
The remit for the review will be to examine the best organisational arrangements for delivering the Government's tax objectives, both now and into the future. The review will also consider the case for changes
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in the law, where necessary, to allow the full benefits of particular arrangements to be realised and pay particular attention to the need to ensure the continued effectiveness of the core business of revenue collection and administration.
Specific points the review will cover will include:
- ways to enhance service delivery to taxpayers and how these are most effectively ensured. Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise together deliver some of the most important functions for the Government, for the public, and for the business community. They have a very large number of customers in common. The review will have a particular remit to examine whether, through closer working between the revenue departments or through organisational change, costs to honest taxpayers and compliance costs to businesses can be reduced;
the coherence of administrative systems, including information and efficient use of resources across the broad area of tax administration, taking into account future technological developments which will open new avenues for enhanced services;
how best to ensure consistent and effective enforcement of the law against those who do not pay their fair share, particularly those who make a business out of cheating the tax system. As part of this review we will examine work being done separately by the Government on the links between tax organisations and the law enforcement agencies;
the most appropriate structure for delivering policy advice to Ministers. Currently officials working on strategic tax policy questions are spread across three departments. A more co-ordinated approach to fiscal policy advice is desirable, and the review will look at how we can best create a focus for tax policy work; and
a new framework for accountability for those working on tax, to set out more clearly the roles and responsibilities of all those involved. Greater clarity will provide better certainty both for officials and Ministers. The review currently being conducted by Gus O'Donnell, which was announced in the Government's response to the Fourth Report 2003 of the Treasury Select Committee, will form part of this work.
Since 1997, Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise have worked effectively with the Treasury to play a key role in support of this Government's reforming agenda. Their record is one of success and a tribute to the staff of the revenue departments and to their Chairmen, Sir Nicholas and Sir Richard. The revenue departments do a first-rate job and this review is intended to build on their success to ensure we make the best of the resources that we have.
Contractors (Retentions)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken by Government Departments and Agencies that have removed retentions to ensure that their first line contractors do not demand retentions from their supply chain. [122146]
Mr. Boateng: Information on Government Departments and Agencies retentions practices is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Government Departments and Agencies (a) have removed retentions from their
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construction contracts and (b) intend to remove retentions from such contracts within the next 12 months; and what the total value was of work procured by these Departments and Agencies in the last 12 months. [122206]
Mr. Boateng: Information on all Government Departments and Agencies retentions practices is not held centrally and could be only obtained at disproportionate cost. However a Supplementary Memorandum by the Department of Trade and Industry setting out practices of some central Government Departments and Agencies in respect of retentions was provided to the Trade and Industry Select Committee in November 2002. This memorandum is available on the select committee website at http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmtrdind/127/127ap34.htm
Counselling Services
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are made in his Department to allow staff to access counselling services. [111947]
John Healey: All managers and staff have access to welfare services which include counselling services. These services include in-house counsellors and access to specialist external services where appropriate.
Crown Estate
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Crown Estate has spent on (a) public relations and (b) corporate hospitality in each year since 1985. [118617]
John Healey: Since 1996 the Crown Estate has spent the following sums on internal and external communications, including public affairs, the production of corporate literature, control of The Crown Estate brand and their internet and intranet websites:
| (£s) | |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 86,560 |
| 1997–98 | 121,792 |
| 1998–99 | 168,131 |
| 1999–2000 | 193,782 |
| 2000–01 | 214,837 |
| 2001–02 | 207.402 |
| 2002–03 | 255,013 |
The figures relating to corporate hospitality are as follows:
| (£s) | |
|---|---|
| 1996–1997 | 3,122 |
| 1997–1998 | 4,074 |
| 1998–1999 | 9,198 |
| 1999–2000 | 12,173 |
| 2000–2001 | (1)135,415 |
| 2001–2002 | 7,331 |
| 2002–2003 | 5,937 |
(1) This figure includes costs for special receptions to mark the millennium that included tenants from England, Scotland and Wales.
Information for earlier years is not available.
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Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost of producing the Crown Estate's annual report for each year since 1985. [118619]
John Healey: The information from 1997 onwards is as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 69,064 |
| 1998 | 73,166 |
| 1999 | 74,721 |
| 2000 | 84,239 |
| 2001 | 72,718 |
| 2002 | 92,457 |
| 2003 | (2)90,000 |
(2) Estimate
In accordance with approved accounting procedures, The Crown Estate holds financial records for only seven years.
European Economic Convergence
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he would put in place following a decision to implement a discretionary fiscal policy to stabilise the economy to prevent the ratchet effect on wages and prices described in the Treasury document Fiscal Stabilisation and EMU. [121549]
Mr. Boateng: In the event of EMU entry, one of the Government's fiscal policy objectives would be to support the ECB in its objective of price stability. This would ensure that wage and price expectations in the UK were firmly anchored by the ECB's price stability objective. In addition, the Government will continue to work on enhancing the flexibility of UK labour, product and capital markets to ensure high and stable levels of employment and low unemployment.
Foundation Hospitals
Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the funding system for Foundation Hospitals in England will have on the funding criteria for assessing the payments under the Barnett formula. [122381]
Mr. Boateng: The funding system for Foundations Hospitals will have no implications for the calculation of public expenditure allocations made under the Barnett formula.
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