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19 Mar 2008 : Column 1227W—continued
Welfare Tax Credits
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time taken was to respond to public enquiries on tax credits by HM Revenue and Customs offices in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [195246]
Jane Kennedy: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 18 February 2008, Official Report, columns 368-69W to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban).
It is not possible to provide information about the average time taken to respond to tax credits inquiries made to all HM Revenue and Customs offices.
Welfare Tax Credits: Appeals
Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the time period is in which individuals may appeal against a decision made by tax credit offices; and if he will make a statement; [195243]
(2) what arrangements are in place to inform individuals of their right to appeal decisions made by tax credit offices; [195244]
(3) how many appeals were made in each of the last 10 years against decisions made by tax credit offices; and if he will make a statement. [195245]
Jane Kennedy: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) and the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 11 March 2008, Official Report, columns 371-72W.
Information concerning appeals can be found in the HMRC leaflet WTC/AP ‘How to appeal against a tax credits decision or award’ which is available on the internet at:
Working tax credit and child tax credit were introduced in April 2003 and tax credits award notices include a message about a claimant’s right of appeal.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Data Protection Act 1998: Prosecutions
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what penalties and further obligations have been imposed on organisations or individuals who have been successfully prosecuted under the (a) Data Protection Act 1998 and (b) Computer Misuse Act 1990 over the last 12 months. [190696]
Mr. Thomas: BERR has not prosecuted any offences under either the Data Protection Act 1998 or the Computer Misuse 1990 in the past 12 months.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many Wikipedia entries have been (a) created and (b) amended (i) by (A) officials, broken down by advisers, communications officials and other officials and (B) Ministers and (ii) from departmental IP addresses and (iii) from IP addresses of (1) officials, broken down by special advisers, communications officials and other officials and (2) Ministers in (x) his Department and (y) its agencies since August 2005. [195191]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 18 March 2008]: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Official Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost was of overnight accommodation for (a) civil servants, (b) special advisers and (c) Ministers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in the last 12 months. [193524]
Mr. Thomas: The total cost for overnight accommodation in the last 12 months (March 2007-February 2008) was:
(i) Mainland Great Britain—£794,048
(ii) Northern Ireland—£0.00
(iii) Republic of Ireland—£2,769
(iv) Other countries—£285,403
The department does not separately record the overnight accommodation undertaken by (a) civil servants, (b) special advisers and (c) Ministers—to provide this information would entail disproportionate costs.
Departmental Written Questions
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many written questions to his Department had not received an answer as at 25 February 2008 for (a) between two and four, (b) between four and six, (c) between six and eight and (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer. [193391]
Mr. Thomas: The details for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform written questions answered between the beginning of this session and 25 February are as follows:
| Weeks delayed | Number | Of which: named day |
During this period, the Department answered a total of 1,534 questions.
Employment Agencies
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many agency workers were employed by his Department on the latest date for which figures are available. [194888]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 17 March 2008]: The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform currently employs 57 temporary agency workers.
EU Internal Trade
Mr. Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was (a) exported to and (b) imported from other EU member states by the UK (i) in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available and (ii) in each year since 1978. [195367]
Mr. Thomas: Estimates of United Kingdom trade in goods and services with the European Union 27 are only available from 1999. The latest estimates are shown in the following table.
| £ billion | ||
| UK exports of goods and services | ||
| To EU27 | From EU27 | |
| Source: ONS Balance of Payments statistics. | ||
Initial estimates for 2007 are due to be published by the Office for National Statistics on 28 March 2008.
Trade statistics, particularly in the first half of 2006, were affected by transactions associated with missing trader VAT fraud.
Estimates of UK trade in goods and services with the EU15 from 1978 to 2005 are shown in the following table.
| £ billion | ||
| UK exports of goods and services | ||
| To EU15 | From EU15 | |
| Source: ONS Balance of Payments statistics. | ||
Data for 1991 and earlier years are not fully consistent with those for later years as they do not incorporate revisions or methodology changes made after 1997.
Government Shareholding
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the Government's policy is in relation to corporate social responsibility in exercising shareholder rights in relation to Government-owned shares; and if he will make a statement. [194297]
Mr. McFadden: The shareholder executive manages its shareholdings in line with the Government shareholding principles, as described in the 2004-05 shareholder executive annual report (annex D) found on page 67 of the report weblink:
The shareholder executive expects to govern the social, ethical and environmental behaviour of businesses within its portfolio and principle 9 states:
“Businesses should manage effectively relationships with their employees, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders who have a legitimate interest in the business's activities. Businesses should behave ethically and have due regard for the environment and society as a whole.”
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