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15 Nov 2005 : Column 1094W—continued

Stealth Aircraft

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans are in place to develop a stealth aircraft for the RAF. [27623]

Mr. Ingram: Stealth is a term used to describe techniques to reduce visual, infra-red and radar observability. Such low observability characteristics are at the heart of the US/UK Joint Strike Fighter, the selected solution for the Joint Combat Aircraft programme, due in service next decade. In addition, the UK continues to explore the underlying technologies contributing to low observability, to ensure that the technology base exists to meet any potential future capability requirement.
 
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Vanguard Nuclear Submarines

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the end of service life is of each of the four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered submarines. [28006]

Mr. Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2123W, to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Dr. Lewis).

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Housewives

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what assistance and support is offered by the Government to married mothers, with a husband in work, who choose to stay at home to bring up their children. [25439]

Meg Munn: Families have substantially benefited from the changes in the tax and benefit system. As a result of the Government's reforms to the tax and benefit system since 1997, by October 2005, in real terms, families with children are, on average, £1,400 a year better off, while those in the poorest fifth are, on average, £3,200 per year better off.

The 2005 budget improved this situation still further by announcing a commitment to increase the child element of child tax credit at least in line with average earnings up to and including 2007–08. It is currently worth up to £1,690 a year per child, benefiting 7 million children in 3.6 million families.

SCOTLAND

Renewable Energy

7. Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the promotion of renewable energy in Scotland. [26713]

Mr. Darling: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend on a wide range of energy matters.

Pathways to Work

8. Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effects of the Pathways to Work pilot scheme in Scotland. [26714]

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend has not yet had the pleasure of meeting the new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to discuss the Pathways to Work pilots in Scotland. I am sure they will meet in the future to discuss this and a range of other issues.
 
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Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

11. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Government have for reducing the burden of central Government regulation on Scottish small and medium-sized enterprises. [26718]

David Cairns: This Government are undertaking the most radical and serious systemic reform of Britain's regulatory system in recent history. This will deliver genuine reductions in the regulatory burden upon all businesses, including SMEs, without compromising necessary regulatory outcomes.

Terrorism

12. Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary about the implementation of the Terrorism Bill in Scotland. [26719]

Mr. Darling: I am in regular contact with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on a number of matters, including ensuring that Scotland's interests are fully covered by terrorism legislation and policies.

Fisheries

13. Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the impact of climate change on cod migration; and what action the Government are planning to take. [26720]

David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Bradshaw) on 12 September 2005, Official Report, columns 2308–2309W, to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond).

Employment Statistics

14. Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had on ensuring full employment in all parts of Scotland by 2010. [26721]

David Cairns: The Government's objective is to increase employment opportunity for all. The UK labour market is performing well, both by international standards and on a historical comparison, with high levels of employment and low levels of unemployment. In addition, the Scottish labour market has hit new record levels, with employment at its highest since quarterly records began. We will continue to work in partnership with the Scottish Executive to deliver prosperity for all the people of Scotland.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Salaries

Mike Penning: To ask the Leader of the House if he will list the 10 highest-paid employees in his Office; what the (a) job title and (b) salary including bonuses is of each; and whether the individual concerned is (i) a civil servant and (ii) a contractor in each case. [27432]

 
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Mr. Hoon: The highest paid employee in the Office of the Leader of the House is the Principal Private Secretary, who is a member of the Senior Civil Service. Details of his salary band are available in the Privy Council Office, Resource Accounts 2003–04, HC109Q, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

The office employs an additional 13 members of staff, all of whom are civil servants. Details of their salary are not released, as to provide this information for such a small number of staff (all of whom are below the Senior Civil Service grade) would be unfair on the grounds of their entitlement to privacy.

Departmental Staff

Mike Penning: To ask the Leader of the House how many staff in his Office were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff in each year since 1997. [27456]

Mr. Hoon: Prior to 2001 separate records were not kept for the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons. The figures were disaggregated from the rest of the Privy Council Office, which provides administrative support to my office, only from 2001. The information available is given in the following table.

	Civil servants	Contractors	Other staff
2001	19	0	0
2002	19.5	0	0
2003	16.5	0	0
2004	16	0	0
2005	14	0	0

Statutory Instruments

Mr. Evans: To ask the Leader of the House if he will list statutory instruments made, laid before Parliament, and which came into force during the most recent summer recess. [28025]

Nigel Griffiths: A total of 201 statutory instruments (excluding draft instruments) and six Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland were laid in the House of Commons in the period 22 July to 7 October. These are listed in the Votes and Proceedings of the House for 10 October. Of these 123 statutory instruments and five statutory rules came into force before 10 October.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Postal Voting

19. Philip Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many applications to pilot all-postal vote elections her Department has received since the Representation of the People Act 2000 came into force. [28122]

 
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Ms Harman: The Government have received 93 applications to run all-postal pilots since the Representation of the People came into force. Eight were received in 2000, 20 in 2002, 43 in 2003, 12 in 2004 and two in 2005.

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