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9 Feb 2004 : Column 1171W—continued

Theatre Tax Receipts

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate total tax receipts accruing to the Exchequer from the theatre sector through (a) the taxation of theatre companies' profits and (b) VAT on the sale of theatre tickets. [153231]

John Healey: Corporation Tax data do not identify receipts from the theatre sector separately from other Recreational Services.

The VAT due on the sale of theatre tickets is estimated at around £45 million. This estimate does not take account of any input VAT reclaimed by businesses on the purchase of theatre tickets.

Tripartite Committee on Financial Stability

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to whom the minutes of the Tripartite Committee on Financial Stability are distributed; and when and under what circumstances they can be made available to hon. Members. [153726]

Ruth Kelly: The minutes of the Tripartite Committee are distributed to the Chancellor, the Financial Secretary and other officials at the Treasury, Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority. The minutes must remain confidential because of constraints under EC and UK law, because publication could discourage private sector practitioners and foreign financial authorities from supplying information on an informal basis and because the material is often market sensitive.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the agenda items covered by the monthly meetings of the Tripartite Committee on Financial Stability in the last six months. [153727]

Ruth Kelly: The agendas of Tripartite Standing Committee meetings must remain confidential because even the disclosure that a certain issue has been discussed could be market sensitive, or in some circumstances, exacerbate problems which the Committee is seeking to address.

The range of subjects that the Committee has discussed was described in a note by HM Treasury to the Treasury Committee in January 2003.

CONSTITIONAL AFFAIRS

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he will reply to the letter to him dated 15 December 2003 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. W. Stewart. [151235]

Mr. Lammy: I apologise to my right hon. Friend for the delay in replying to his letter of 15 December last. The position in relation to Mr. Stewart's dealing with the Legal Services Commission is that the Commission wrote to his solicitors on 22 January, requesting that they submit their bill of costs within 28 days. I hope to be in a position to report to him further during the week 23 February.

9 Feb 2004 : Column 1172W

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what type of secure communications systems are available to British troops in Afghanistan; [153054]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 5 February 2004]: The United Kingdom's forces deployed in Afghanistan are equipped with a range of static and mobile secure communications systems. Static systems operating through satellite ground stations link both the United Kingdom's contingent serving in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and the provincial reconstruction team (PRT), into the Ministry of Defence's wider secure communications network. The ISAF contingent also uses an encrypted very high frequency radio system for both vehicle and foot patrols while the PRT relies on tactical satellite communications systems. I am withholding further details of these systems and the numbers in accordance with exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government information.

Aircraft Carrier

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on current projections of cost and capability for the new aircraft carrier programme. [149775]

Mr. Ingram: The Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) programme is currently in its Assessment Phase. Decisions on the programme beyond that stage, including the capability which CVF will deliver, will be taken at the Main Gate investment point.

Our current estimate for the cost of the Demonstration and Manufacture contract is around £3 billion. These cost estimates will be further refined during the remainder of the Assessment Phase.

Ammunition

Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts for the production of ammunition have been awarded to foreign companies in circumstances where a British company has bid for the contract in the last five years; and who the (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful companies were in each case. [152007]

Mr. Ingram: Over the past five years some 44 contracts for ammunition have been placed with foreign companies. However, we are unable to verify whether British companies bid for these contracts as the information on unsuccessful bidders is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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The successful contractors by country were as follows:


























Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which foreign contractors after winning an ammunition contract have refused to supply the goods in the last five years; and what the reasons given for doing so were in each case. [152008]

Mr. Ingram: There have been no known cases in the last five years of foreign contractors refusing to supply ammunition which they were contracted to do so.

Armed Forces Accommodation (Wales)

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the standard of armed forces accommodation in Wales. [151740]

Mr. Caplin: Separate figures for Wales are not readily identifiable and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, within the Western Region, of which Wales is a part, there are 3,683 core family properties of which 2,446 are in the top category for quality. Single Living Accommodation, which provides some 3,800 bed-spaces in Wales and 1,462 are in the top two quality categories.

Arms Purchases

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government have used a contractor to purchase weapons from abroad for supply to another foreign user; and if he will make a statement. [146688]

Mr. Ingram: No form of arrangements have been made with a contractor to purchase weapons from abroad for supply to a foreign user outside of the governing UK export control system.

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Artillery Weapons

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on deciding which weapons would best meet the Army's future Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapons System Gun requirement. [152006]

Mr. Ingram: The Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapons System Gun programme is currently in its Assessment Phase. A decision on the best solution for this requirement is not expected before 2006.

Cluster Munitions

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department was informed of the purchase in early 2003 by BAE Systems UK from Israel Military Industries of 26,000 155 mm L20 cluster artillery shells; whether the order was made at the behest of his Department; what his Department's response was in respect of this proposed purchase; on what date a Minister was first notified of this proposed purchase and what his response was; on what date his Department purchased these cluster shells from BAE Systems and at what cost; for what reason his Department purchased these cluster shells from BAE Systems rather than from Israeli Military Systems directly; and if he will make a statement. [146471]

Mr. Ingram: A contract was let with BAE Systems on 7 November 2002 by the Defence General Munitions Integrated Project Team (DGM IPT). Deliveries from that contract were made in March, May, June and July 2003. I am withholding details of the cost of these munitions in accordance with Exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information as it is classified Commercial in Confidence. It is normal practice under the Framework Partnering Agreement with the Royal Ordnance Defence division of BAE Systems for the DGM IPT to use the company as a Prime Contractor whenever it is cost effective and adds value to do so. In this case, these requirements were met since BAE Systems were able to negotiate favourable rates for the shell.

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