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27 Apr 2004 : Column 869W—continued
Overseas Aid
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to set a timetable for the UK to reach the target of spending 0.7 per cent. of gross national income on overseas aid. [166996]
John Healey: We remain committed to the UN target and will continue to make progress towards 0.7 per cent. as the fiscal climate permits. The 2004 Spending Review is an opportunity to consider plans for development spending beyond 2005–06, alongside other priorities and pressures, but at this time it is not possible to predict the outcome of the Spending Review. In his Budget 2004 speech, the Chancellor announced that this Government will not freeze or cut the international development aid budget, but rather increase it. This is part of the Government's continuing commitment to increasing development aid. By 2005–06 the UK's aid budget will have grown by 93 per cent. in real term to 0.4 per cent. the largest ever increase in UK development funding. This will be double the current (2002) G7 average of 0.2 per cent. and well above the current (2002) average of 0.23 per cent. for countries on the OECD Development Assistance Committee. As our record shows, we are serious about making progress towards 0.7 per cent.
However, there is an urgent need for additional funds now if we are to make progress on meeting the
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Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The reality is that we will not raise the $50 billion needed every year to meet the MDGs unless every bilateral donor reaches 0.7 per cent. immediately. If even just two or three of the biggest bilateral donors fail to reach 0.7 per cent. now, we will fail to raise the funds required. That is why the Government has proposed an International Finance Facility (IFF) in order to deliver these resources. The IFF provides a realistic and feasible way of front-loading aid to meet the immediate need.
Correspondence
David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 15 March 2004 concerning a constituent, ref. PO3/15023/2004. [168886]
Dawn Primarolo: I have done so.
Sick Pay
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice the Inland Revenue has provided in relation to the provision of statutory sick pay for temporary workers; and what the legal basis is upon which that advice has been made. [151834]
Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has published guidance on the position of temporary workers in booklet CA 30 which is also available via the internet.
Inland Revenue guidance is based on the legislative provisions surrounding the SSP scheme and specifically on Part 11 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992; Sections 45 and 51 of the Employment Act 2002; The Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982; The Social Security (Categorisation of Earners) Regulations 1978 and The Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to the Inland Revenue in relation to its advice on the provision of statutory sick pay for temporary workers. [151835]
Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue have received a number of representations on this subject from both employer representative groups and from individual employers. The Inland Revenue is always happy to enter into discussions with employers over the format, content and application of published guidance.
Tax Credits (Scotland)
John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of tax credits in Scotland have been overpaid and issued with demands for lump sum repayments by (a) letter and (b) telephone. [164607]
Dawn Primarolo:
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 3 November 2003, Official Report, columns 394–95W. By 29 March 2004 the Inland Revenue had sent 379 letters to claimants in Scotland, of which 67 had been followed up by a telephone call.
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DEFENCE
War Pensions
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were in receipt of (a) war pension and (b) war widow's pension in 1997; and how many there are in each category now. [165379]
Mr. Caplin: As at 31 March 1997, there were 264,595 war disablement pensions and 59,025 war widows pensions in payment. As at 31 December 2003, there were 205,090 war disablement pensions and 45,755 war widow/ers pensions in payment.
Apache Helicopter
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Apache helicopters (a) are based and (b) will be based at AAC Dishforth; [165091]
(2) what assessment he has made of the maintenance condition of the Apache helicopters based at AAC Dishforth; [165090]
(3) what funding has been allocated for the maintenance of Apache helicopters at AAC Dishforth. [165092]
Mr. Ingram: There are currently 12 WAH-64 Apache aircraft based at Dishforth Station. A further four will be located at Dishforth within the next few months, bringing the total to 16.
All Apache helicopters held at Dishforth are consistently maintained to a high level. Their airworthiness condition is formally assessed by Army aircraft engineers before each flight, and is constantly monitored by aircrew during flight.
The funding allocated in financial year 2004–05 for spares maintenance support for WAH-64 Apache aircraft at Dishforth Station totals some £450,000.
Armed Forces Deployments
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the positioning of the British armed forces throughout the world; what size forces are in each place; and what their operational status is. [165547]
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Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Mr. Soames) on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 15W.
Defence Employment (Hampshire)
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many local employees are forecast to be employed as a consequence of the increased concentration of Royal Naval facilities in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire over the next five years, based on current plans. [165294]
Mr. Caplin: Studies which may result in further rationalisation and concentration of Royal Navy facilities in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire over the next five years are at only the preliminary stage and it is too early to predict how this might affect local employment.
Finningley Airport
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of maintaining Finningley Airport in each of the last five years of ownership by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [165710]
Mr. Caplin: RAF Finningley was closed on 31 March 1996 and was sold in 1999. Cost information prior to closure is no longer available. However, the cost of maintaining the site during the disposal process is set out in the table.
| Financial year | |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 617,797 |
| 1999–2000 | 185,538 |
| 2000–01 | 298 |
Medical Services
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical personnel are based at (a) AAC Dishforth, (b) RAF Leeming, (c) RAF Linton on Ouse and (d) Alanbrooke Barracks, broken down by service, rank and specialisation. [165094]
Mr. Caplin: The following medical personnel are based at each base:
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