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Fixed Wing Aircraft

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many operational fixed wing aircraft there are in the Royal Air Force; and if he will break down this figure by aircraft type and number. [18800]

Mr. Ingram: On 23 November 2001, there were 676 fixed wing aircraft in the RAF's Actual Operating Fleet. The Actual Operating Fleet comprises all aircraft which are fully operational or in 1st or 2nd line maintenance. The breakdown of this figure by aircraft type and number is detailed in the table:

Aircraft type	Number of aircraft
BAe 125 ccMk3	5
BAe 146 ccMk2	2
C-17	4
Canberra	6
Chipmunk	2
Dakota	1
Dominie	10
Harrier GR7	50
Harrier T10	9
Sea Harrier FA2	27
Sea Harrier T8	4
Hawk	110
Hercules C-130J	23
Hercules C-130K	26
Islander	1
Jaguar	43
Jetstream TMk	21
Nimrod	19
Sentry E-3D AEW Mk1	6
Tornado F3	86
Tornado GR1/4	117
Tristar	8
Tucano Mk1	77
VC10	19

The RAF also operates the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which comprises seven fixed wing aircraft. The breakdown of this figure by aircraft type and number is detailed in the table:

Aircraft type	Number
Hurricane	2
Lancaster B1	1
Spitfire	4

Defence Secondary Care Agency

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much has been spent on financial arrangements to encourage NHS trusts to achieve waiting time targets set by the Defence Secondary Care Agency in each year since the arrangements have been in place; [18240]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 293W, what financial arrangements exist to encourage NHS trusts to achieve waiting time targets set by the Defence Secondary Care Agency. [18239]

Dr. Moonie: The financial arrangements with Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) Trusts referred to in my answer to the hon. Member of 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 293W, are based on provisions set out in Health Service Circular 1999/112, dated 21 May 1999. They provide financial incentives for the individual

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trusts to achieve waiting time targets set by the Defence Secondary Care Agency (DSCA), in the form of two stages of premium, set at a percentage of the basic tariff. The first stage premium is payable so long as there is clear evidence that the trust is attempting to achieve the targets. The second, small premium, is payable on a specialty by specialty basis, separately as regards the targets for out-patient attendance and in-patient admissions, and is dependant on the full achievement of the target.

In the two years since these arrangements have been in place, the total expenditure on the premiums has been £1.230 million in 1999–2000 and £1.242 million in 2000–01.

European Security and Defence Policy

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the annual cost to the EU of the EU structures that have been created to support the European Security and Defence Policy. [19826]

Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.

The annual cost to member states of maintaining the European Council structures supporting ESDP on the European Council Secretariat budget for the last financial year was £5,800,000. This has been met within existing EU resources.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

NHS Reform

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list those areas of NHS reform under this Government which he described as having gone backwards on 25 November. [19081]

Mr. Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 28 November 2001, Official Report, columns 961–62.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with the Public Service Agreement target for delivery of the Civil Service reforms programme. [21238]

Mr. Leslie: My Department continues to drive the Civil Service reform programme across Departments, and good progress has been made against the many actions which were set out in Sir Richard Wilson's initial Reform Report which was published in December 1999. A report on progress was published in December 2000, and a further report is planned early in the new year.

These reports, and information on progress across the many separate strands of the Civil Service reform programme are published on the dedicated website: www.civil-service.gov.uk/reform.

5 Dec 2001 : Column: 361W

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress on the Public Service Agreement target for the review of corporate human resources systems which was subsumed within the Civil Service reforms programme. [21275]

Mr. Leslie: The Cabinet Office continues to drive forward the programme of Civil Service reform across Departments, and intends to publish the second annual report early in the new year. I am pleased to be able to give some examples of progress already made.

By April 2002, around 80 per cent. of all Departments will have reviewed their pay and performance management systems. A new corporate performance management system for the Senior Civil Service, based on a new competency framework, was introduced in April of this year, and payments under the new system will be made commencing April 2002.

The Cabinet Office has undertaken a review of the Fast Stream, with the aim of retaining the scheme's appeal with the best of the current applicants and adding applications from the best graduates from under- represented groups.

A new E-recruitment gateway has been established, which is currently being used by over 50 Departments and agencies and attracting over 52,000 hits a month.

Following wide consultation, a new and more flexible pension scheme has been developed for Civil Servants and is being introduced with effect from October 2002.

A copy of the Civil Service Reform Report 2000 is available in the Library of the House and can be accessed through the following website: www.civil-service.gov.uk/ reform.

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) renovations and (b) other works being carried out to the Ripley buildings; when this work was agreed to; and what is the total expected cost of this work. [20344]

Mr. Leslie: The project to refurbish Admiralty Arch, Kirkland House and the Ripley Building was announced to the Public Administration Select Committee by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 December 1998.

The work to the Ripley and Kirkland Buildings (collectively known as 22 Whitehall) is a major refurbishment including the installation of new lifts, new mechanical and electrical and plumbing services. In addition, both buildings have required major structural repairs.

A contract in 1999 to undertake structural repairs to the Ripley Building cost £2.079 million excluding VAT. The major contract currently under way to undertake the refurbishment of 22 Whitehall as a whole is subject to an incentivised arrangement with the contractor. In the light of this arrangement, the final cost to the Cabinet Office cannot be precisely estimated at this time. However, the current expectation is that the cost will be of the order of £27 million (excluding VAT).

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WALES

Local Health Boards

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local health boards he expects to be created in Wales under the NHS Reform Bill. [20895]

Mr. Touhig: The NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill provides a power for the National Assembly for Wales to establish bodies called local health boards. It will be for the Assembly, through subordinate legislation, to determine how many local health boards are to be set up. The Assembly's Minister for Health and Social Services has stated her intention to set up 22 local health boards following her consultation on the structural proposals for NHS Wales.

Pupils' Transport

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning in the National Assembly for Wales regarding the transport of pupils from Llandogo to Monmouth. [15797]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 14 November 2001, Official Report, column 842.

Energy Review

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what contribution he has made to the Performance and Innovation Unit's Energy Review. [15794]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State, Wales Office, is a member of the PIU Energy Review Advisory Group and has been engaged in the review since it began in June this year. The PIU held a seminar in Wales on 27 September to take the views of Assembly representatives, Assembly sponsored public bodies and the energy industry in Wales.

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