Written Answers to Questions
The following answers were received between Monday 3 September and Friday 7 September 2007
Church Commissioners
Clergy: Pay
Miss McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what forms of income other than the stipend are available to clergymen; and what cost of living adjustments are made annually. [152884]
Sir Stuart Bell: Apart from the stipend, the clergy remuneration package also includes the provision of housing (including the payment of council tax, water charges, maintenance, external decoration) and a non-contributory Church pension.
Clergy are also eligible for removal grants and subsidised insurance in high risk areas.
The Central Stipends Authority recommends stipend levels to dioceses and the Church Commissioners each year after extensive consultation taking into account forecast movements in RPI and AEI. For 2008-09 it has recommended a general increase of 3 per cent.
Departments: Assets
Harry Cohen: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners by what legal instruments assets are vested in and controlled by the Church Commissioners. [152602]
Sir Stuart Bell: On 1 April 1948 the Church Commissioners inherited the assets and functions of their predecessors, Queen Anne's Bounty and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, by virtue of section 2 of the Church Commissioners Measure 1947. Any assets acquired subsequently were vested in the Commissioners by the appropriate legal deed or document.
The Commissioners exercise control over their assets through the Assets Committee which, under section 6 of the 1947 measure and subject to any general rules made by the Board of Governors, has exclusive power and duty to act on behalf of and in the name of the Commissioners in all matters relating to the management of those assets of the Commissioners the income of which is carried into their general fund, including the power to sell, purchase, exchange and let land and make, realise and change investments.
International Development
Departments: Aviation
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on (a) business class and (b) first class flights in the last 12 months. [153117]
Mr. Thomas: All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
DFID’s expenditure on flights booked centrally for the 12 month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £6,876,805, including business class flights costing £5,726,318 and first class flights costing £41,922. Staff rules preclude use of first class travel, except by Ministers, officials accompanying them, and the most senior members of the senior civil service. Rules relating to the use of air travel and fare entitlements are set out in the staff handbook.
Departments: Railways
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on first class train tickets in the last 12 months. [153116]
Mr. Thomas: All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
DFID’s expenditure on UK train tickets for the 12 month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £366,684. Data distinguishing between classes of travel are not routinely maintained and could not be produced without disproportionate cost. Staff normally travel by standard class but are permitted with prior approval to travel first class when they are expected to work during the journey.
Departments: Taxis
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on taxis in the last 12 months. [153119]
Mr. Thomas: DFID’s expenditure on taxis for the 12 month period April 2006 to March 2007 was £248,363.
All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.
Developing Countries: Currency
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what system his Department uses for recording currency transactions from sterling into local currency for use in developing countries. [146801]
Mr. Thomas: DFID does not keep records of how, or at what rate, its sterling transactions are converted into local currency once they reach their recipient.
The majority of our funding is made in sterling. All transactions in foreign currency are recorded as a sterling equivalent, based on the exchange rate for that day. DFID’s standard payment systems provide the necessary evidence that money has been paid to the intended recipient. All financial aid to overseas governments is paid through Crown Agents Bank which provides documentation demonstrating that the funds have reached the partner government’s Central Exchequer. For non-financial aid our own accounting and banking systems provide this assurance.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) average and (b) longest flying hours for each helicopter type operating in Afghanistan were in each of the last 12 months. [153316]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1353W, to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Carswell).
Ammunition
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on researching enhanced blast munitions; what orders have been made for them; and what plans there are for future procurement of the munitions. [152215]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [pursuant to the reply, 26 July 2007, Official Report, c. 1243W]: The final sentence my answer should have read as:
We have, in addition, procured a small number of weapons that use enhanced blast technology, the details of which I am withholding because their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. There are currently no firm plans for the further procurement of enhanced blast munitions, other than those that I have described above.
Armed Forces: Insurance
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2007, Official Report, column 1872W, on the armed forces: insurance, when he expects to place in the Library the documents referred to. [149349]
Derek Twigg: I have placed the documents in. the Library of the House.
Armed Forces: Schools
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the parental customer satisfaction ratings in respect of service personnel children's education schools were in each year for which records are available. [150128]
Derek Twigg: Since 2004 School Children's Education has commissioned an annual independent Parental Satisfaction Survey carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). The percentage of parents stating that they are very satisfied or satisfied with their child's school is outlined here:
| Percentage | ||
| Primary School | Secondary School | |
The results of the 2007 NFER survey are expected to be published in October 2007 and will be thereafter be available to interested parties by visiting the agency website at:
Challenger Tanks: Non-depleted Uranium
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards the introduction of non-depleted uranium ammunition for Challenger 2 tanks; and if he will make a statement. [149672]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Department continues to examine a range of options for the main armament and ammunition types used by the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. An investigation into the feasibility of new non-depleted uranium ammunition forms part of this work.
Departments: Manpower
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been appointed to his Department outside civil service grades in the last 30 days. [153071]
Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Public Expenditure
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will breakdown the financial year 2006-07 outturn for resources one, two and three provision for each subhead by (a) near cash departmental expenditure limit (DEL), (b) non-cash DEL, (c) capital DEL, (d) near cash annual managed expenditure, (e) non-cash annual managed expenditure, (f) capital annual managed expenditure, (g) near cash non-budget and (h) non-cash non-budget. [154918]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The 2006-07 MOD resource and capital outturn expenditure for Request for Resources 1, 2 and 3, are set out in the following table.
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