Research and Development Tax Credits

Dr. Cable

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many research and development tax credit applications were processed from (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Wales in each year since their inception. (100507)

The estimated number of claims for research and development tax credits that have been processed in tax offices in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales since the inception of the scheme are given in the table.

	England	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
2000-01	1,340	130	170	20
2001-02	2,500	330	330	40
2002-03	4,010	480	460	90
2003-04	4,830	490	460	90
Note: Figures are actual numbers, rounded to the nearest ten. The table does not include a small number of claims where information on the processing tax office was unavailable.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people will be employed in the seven new research and development tax credit units; how much the launch of the units is expected to cost; what estimate he has made of their annual running costs; and when they are expected to open. (100511)

There will be 56 full time equivalent staff employed in the seven R and D units.

The units opened on 1 November 2006 and their launch was cost neutral as they are staffed with existing HMRC staff in existing HMRC locations.

There will be no separate budget for the R and D units. Their running costs will be met from the annual local compliance budget.

Volume 453: debated on Thursday 23 November 2006