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30 Mar 2006 : Column 1146W—continued
Sexual Offences
Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Trade and Industry how many cases of sexual harassment were brought in which the defendant was subsequently acquitted of all charges in England and Wales, in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) criminal justice area and (b) region. [61891]
Mr. Sutcliffe: In 2004–05 a total of 777 sex discrimination cases were dismissed at a hearing by an Employment Tribunal. The Employment Tribunals Service does not record which of these cases specifically relate to sexual harassment.
Single European Currency
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the costs to his Department of the introduction of the euro. [60900]
Alan Johnson:
There is no current estimate of the cost to DTI of an introduction of the euro.
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A high-level, and partial, estimate of the cost for head office, agencies and the executive non-departmental public bodies if the euro were to be introduced into the UK, made in November 2004, was £5.4 million. It is difficult to arrive at a more accurate and current estimate as that would depend very much on the timing and approach taken. In particular, we expect more IT systems to be euro compatible as a result of ongoing modernisation programmes, which would reduce the costs of any euro changeover.
Social Exclusion
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was allocated to tackling social exclusion by his Department in 2006–07; and from which budgets. [56196]
Alan Johnson: A large number of DTI's activities have a contribution to make in tackling social exclusion, but neither DTI's objectives nor its spending programmes are constructed in a way which distinguishes this element from the other outcomes which its public services agreements are intended to achieve.
Television Sets
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Ministers' private offices and (c) in each building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department. [62809]
Alan Johnson: The Department does not keep a central record of televisions in use in its buildings but there is one in each Ministers' office and approximately a further 30 in our main HQ building at 1 Victoria Street including those for training purposes using video input. All televisions in DTI buildings are used in connection with official business and are therefore not subject to licensing.
Wind Farms
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many wind farms there are in England; and how many are planned to be built in the next four years. [62489]
Malcolm Wicks: The following table gives an overview of the number of wind farms in England that are either operational, currently under construction, consented, or in the planning stage. However, not all wind farms are likely to get planning permission or be built.
Source:
The British Wind Energy Association website: www.bwea.org
30 Mar 2006 : Column 1148W
WALES
Council Tax
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), of 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 895W, on council tax, how many photographs of domestic properties were taken by the Valuation Office Agency during the council tax revaluation in Wales. [62216]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 March 2006, Official Report, column 1640W.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his Answer of 9 March 2006, Official Report, column 1640W, on council tax, whether the Valuation Office Agency took photographs of domestic properties for the council tax revaluation in Wales. [62234]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 894W.
Police Restructuring
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library his letter to the Home Office on the proposed police reorganisation in Wales. [62697]
Mr. Hain: I have today placed in the Library a copy of my letter of 12 December on the proposed police reorganisation in Wales.
Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of members of the principal civil service pension scheme in his Department joined the scheme before the age of (a) 20, (b) 25, (c) 30, (d) 35, (e) 40, (f) 45 and (g) over 45 years old. [61905]
Mr. Hain: Wales Office staff come from other Government Departments and bodies (including the National Assembly for Wales and the Department for Constitutional Affairs). Pensions information is held by the home Department, and is not held by the Wales Office.
Gathering this information for Wales Office staff could only be done at disproportionate cost.
DEFENCE
Afghanistan
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of illegally armed groups in Afghanistan. [62054]
Mr. Ingram:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 7 February 2006, Official Report, column 1042, to the right hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Michael Ancram).
30 Mar 2006 : Column 1149W
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the source of Taliban (a) funding and (b) weaponry. [62114]
John Reid: The Taliban primarily obtain funding from within Afghanistan and Pakistan, supplemented to a lesser degree from sources elsewhere. We believe that the Taliban also indirectly benefit from the narcotics trade in Afghanistan. Most Taliban weaponry is sourced from within Afghanistan or comes from or comes through or from sources within Pakistan.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the procedural requirements are for the transfer of a prisoner detained by UK forces in Afghanistan to the Afghan authorities. [62223]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on the 20 and 24 January 2006, Official Report, column 1648 W and 1982W respectively and the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 30 January 2006, Official Report, column 38W.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken by the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan to achieve a secure operating environment for non-governmental organisations. [62225]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper) on 27 February 2006, Official Report, column 3W. Further information on the role of provisional reconstruction teams which covers the contribution of other members of ISAF is available on the ISAF website at:
http://www.afhorth.nato.int/ISAF/Backgrounders/BackPRT.htm
C130 Aircraft
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the circumstances were of each incident of C130 aircraft being hit by hostile fire in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [61143]
Mr. Ingram: There were no incidents of RAF C130 aircraft being hit by hostile fire in 2003.
In 2004 there were three incidents of RAF C130 aircraft being hit by hostile fire.
On 11 April 2004, a C130K aircraft travelled en route from Baghdad International airport to Balad. On inspection of the aircraft at Balad, it was found that a projectile had hit the upper fuselage. The aircraft was deemed serviceable and was able to continue its mission.
On 1 May 2004, an inspection of a C130K aircraft at Baghdad International airport revealed evidence of a small single ballistic impact on the aircraft's front quarter. The damage was repaired and the aircraft was able to continue its mission.
On 6 August 2004, a C130 was en route to Baghdad International airport, when a fuel leak was discovered in one of the wing fuel tanks. The aircraft was able to continue to its destination. On arrival, it was found that the wing fuel tank had been ruptured by a small calibre round.
30 Mar 2006 : Column 1150W
In January 2005, C130 Hercules XV179 was hit by hostile fire, which resulted in the tragic loss of the aircraft, its crew and passengers. This incident was investigated by a RAF Board of Inquiry and the Air Accident Investigation Branch, as outlined in my right hon. Friend's statement of 8 December 2005, Official Report, column 1009.
There have been no reported incidents in which C130 Hercules aircraft have been hit by hostile fire since the loss of XV179.
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