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30 Apr 2008 : Column 481W—continued
Working Tax Credit: Overpayments
Susan Kramer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many cases there were of overpayment of the childcare element of the working tax credit in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement; [202142]
(2) what the level of overpayment of the childcare element of the working tax credit was in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [202183]
Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available.
Child and working tax credits were introduced in April 2003.
Information on the number of awards with an overpayment of tax credits in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 are produced in the HMRC publications “Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments In.” for each relevant year. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
HMRC do not produce these statistics separately for child tax credit and working tax credit.
Defence
Aircraft Carriers: Procurement
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the steel for the construction of future aircraft carriers has been ordered by the Government directly; whether there is any precedent for steel orders being placed by any agency other than the relevant shipbuilders; and whether the steel ordered is for use in the construction of one or both future aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy. [202672]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 29 April 2008]: Steel for the construction of the Future Aircraft Carriers has been ordered by BAE Systems (Surface Fleet Solutions), on behalf of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, and not by the Government. Other than specific Government Furnished Equipment, it is normal practice for the shipyards to order build materials. The steel ordered is for use in the construction of both Future Aircraft Carriers.
Armed Forces: Graduates
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of armed forces personnel have a university degree. [202166]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 28 April 2008]: The total number of armed forces personnel who are recorded as having a university degree or equivalent or higher is 17,469. This is around nine per cent. of the total strength.
The figure quoted is an estimate only, as the data transferred from the former single service legacy data systems to the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system had differing degrees of reliability. In addition, since the introduction of the JPA system, the responsibility for updating this specific type of data rests solely with the individual, and as such may not always be recorded.
Armed Forces: Joint Strike Fighter
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that the Joint Strike Fighter is flown solely by Fleet Air Arm pilots. [201447]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Joint Carrier Aircraft will be capable of operating from both land and sea, and under current assumptions the future force will be jointly manned by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. The optimum force structure is currently being determined.
Armed Forces: Training
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training exercises involving fighting in urban environments have been cancelled in each year since 2003. [201017]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Since 2003, no training exercises involving fighting in urban environments have been cancelled.
Armed Forces: Uniforms
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 12 June 2006, Official Report, column 996W, on bearskins, and pursuant to the answer to question 198792, when the last occasion was that bearskins were purchased by the armed forces. [202241]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The MOD does not purchase bearskins, it purchases bearskin caps. There have been no pelts procured to produce bearskin caps for the MOD since 2003.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008, Official Report, column 791W, on armoured fighting vehicles, when he expects the contract for ordering the Ridgback armoured vehicle to be finalised. [201232]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The MOD expects to contract with a manufacturer and a UK integrator for the Ridgback vehicle shortly. I am unable to provide further details as commercial negotiations are continuing.
BAE Systems: Saudi Arabia
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings he or his officials have held with BAe and its representatives to discuss the al-Yamamah case since May 2005. [200527]
Des Browne: Meetings between MOD officials and representatives of BAE Systems at which the SFO investigation into the al-Yamamah programme was raised, took place on 17 June 2005, 3 November 2005, 26 June 2006, 28 September 2006 and 21 October 2006. In accordance with advice to the Department from the Serious Fraud Office, that office was informed of all of these meetings at the time.
Cycling
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s non-departmental public bodies provide (i) tax-free benefits and (ii) other allowances for their staff to purchase bicycles under the Cycle to Work Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [197003]
Derek Twigg: Neither the Ministry of Defence nor its non-departmental public bodies currently participate in the Cycle to Work Scheme, however, the Department will be undertaking a review of this in the near future, and it does grant civilian staff advances of salary up to £500 for the purchase of bicycles for travel to work and for military personnel daily commuting by bicycle is encouraged through the payment of a rate of mileage allowance for the use of pedal cycles.
Defence: Internet
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's budget is for cyber-defence measures; and if he will make a statement. [201677]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Lynx Helicopters: Procurement
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of the Future Lynx helicopter project; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost, averaged over the lifetime of the project; [202001]
(2) what the in-service date for the Future Lynx helicopter is; [202002]
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of engineers qualified in aeronautics employed on the Future Lynx programme at the latest date for which figures are available. [202004]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The value of the contact awarded to Agusta Westland in June 2006 for the development and manufacture of 70 Future Lynx aircraft is approximately £1 billion. There has been no cost escalation in this contract. The total cost of the Future Lynx project is estimated to be in the order of £10 billion. This figure captures all expenditure forecast through the life of the project, including the cost of the helicopters, supporting systems, manpower, training, maintenance, spares, consumables, fuel and infrastructure costs. While the aircraft are expected to be in-service for 30 years, these costs are incurred from initial concept stages to disposal; about 50 years. This equates to an average annual cost for the battlefield and maritime capabilities to be provided by the Future Lynx fleet of approximately £200 million.
The current in-service date for Future Lynx is 2014.
The Department does not have routine visibility of the total numbers of aeronautic qualified engineers employed throughout industry on specific projects. However in April 2008 Agusta Westland (AW), the prime contractor for the Future Lynx programme, estimated that during this year an average of 600 to 700 engineers, qualified in a wide range of aeronautics disciplines, will be employed on this project by AW and sub-contractors.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 26 February 2008, transferred from the Department for Transport, on the Avro Vulcan Project. [202163]
Derek Twigg: I replied to the hon. Member today.
Military Aircraft: Helicopters
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average number of flying hours completed by individual helicopters of types (a) Apache, (b) Gazelle, (c) Lynx Mk3, (d) Lynx Mk7, (e) Lynx Mk8, (f) Lynx Mk9, (g) Merlin Mk1 and (h) Merlin Mk3 was in the last 12 months. [202152]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: It is not possible to provide representative average hours flown for particular aircraft types over a given period since the number of airframes within each aircraft type fluctuates. However, for total hours flown I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 April 2008, Official Report, column 797W.
Radioactive Materials: Transport
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 103W, on special nuclear materials load carriers, what the timetable for the introduction of the new load carrier vehicles is; how many there will be; what the cost of each one is; whether they will be operated by the Ministry of Defence Police; how many miles each one is expected to complete before entry into service; and if he will make a statement. [202311]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The current load carrier vehicles are now planned to continue in service until the end of 2010. It is planned to replace them with eight refurbished truck cargo heavy duty trailers and nine newly purchased tractor heads. I am withholding information on the cost of each vehicle as disclosure of this information would prejudice commercial interests. The role of the Ministry of Defence Police during the transport of nuclear materials is to ensure the overall security of any movements of special nuclear materials. The vehicles will be extensively tested for reliability before entry into service, including a programme of verification and validation activities against taut acceptance criteria. The mileage completed will be that necessary to successfully complete this programme.
Reserve Forces: Training
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists exercises have been cancelled since 2003. [201020]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Since 2003, 17 reservist exercises have been cancelled.
Russia: Military Aircraft
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates, and for what duration unauthorised Russian military aircraft have penetrated UK airspace over the last 12 months. [202626]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: In the last 12 months no Russian aircraft have penetrated UK national airspace. However, Russian aircraft have approached or entered the NATO Air Policing Area (APA) for which the UK has responsibility.
I am withholding the exact dates and the duration of time that Russian military aircraft have entered the APA as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Although I am withholding the exact dates, the following table gives the number of days within a month that Quick Reaction Alert aircraft have been launched to identify Russian military aircraft approaching or entering the APA.
| Number | |
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks: Children
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) cautioned, (b) prosecuted and (c) given a penalty notice for disorder for knowingly allowing the consumption of alcohol on licensed premises by a child in each of the last two years. [191309]
Mr. Coaker: Children are unable to commit this offence, as this offence applies only to those persons who work at the licensed premises in a capacity which authorises them to prevent the consumption of alcohol by those aged under 18.
The number of persons issued with a caution, penalty notice for disorder, or proceeded against at magistrates courts for the offence of knowingly allowing consumption of alcohol by an under 18-year-old on relevant premises in England and Wales for the years 2005 to 2006 can be viewed in the following tables 1 and 2.
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