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6 Nov 2008 : Column 676W—continued
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of the joint strike fighter programme. [233600]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The UK's total procurement cost is likely to be up to £10 billion, depending on the number and timing of aircraft required. Through life support for joint combat aircraft will also be shaped by the number and timing of aircraft deliveries and will be announced when the programme is sufficiently mature.
National Recognition of our Armed Forces Inquiry
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the responses of those listed as consulted in Appendix 2 of the Report of Inquiry into the National Recognition of the Armed Forces by the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford are published. [231946]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The responses of those consulted in Appendix 2 of the Report of Inquiry into the National Recognition of the Armed Forces by my hon. Friend the Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies) has not been published as the consultations were conducted on a non-attributable basis.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the list of people consulted in Appendix 2 of the Report of Inquiry into the National Recognition of the Armed Forces by the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford is complete. [231947]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I can confirm that the list of people and groups consulted in Appendix 2 of the Report of Inquiry into the National Recognition of the Armed Forces by my hon. Friend the Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies) is complete.
Warships
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current out-of-service dates are for (a) HMS Walney, (b) HMS Penzance, (c) HMS Pembroke, (d) HMS Grimsby, (e) HMS Bangor, (f) HMS Ramsey, (g) HMS Blyth, (h) HMS Shoreham, (i) HMS Ledbury, (j) HMS Cattistock, (k) HMS Brocklesbury, (l) HMS Middleton, (m) HMS Chiddingfold, (n) HMS Atherstone, (o) HMS Hurworth and (p) HMS Quorn. [233698]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 September 2007, Official Report, column 1632W.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current out-of-service dates are for (a) HMS Ark Royal, (b) HMS Illustrious, (c) HMS Invincible, (d) HMS Exeter, (e) HMS Southampton, (f) HMS Nottingham, (g) HMS Liverpool, (h) HMS Manchester, (i) HMS Gloucester, (j) HMS Edinburgh, (k) HMS York, (l) HMS Ocean, (m) HMS Albion and (n) HMS Bulwark. [233699]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Our present planning assumptions, which are routinely updated as required, are as follows:
| Name | Out-of-service date |
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current out-of-service dates are for (a) HMS Argyll, (b) HMS Lancaster, (c) HMS Iron Duke, (d) HMS Monmouth, (e) HMS Montrose, (f) HMS Westminster, (g) HMS Northumberland, (h) HMS Richmond, (i) HMS Somerset, (j) HMS Sutherland, (k) HMS Portland, (l) HMS Kent and (m) HMS St Albans. [233700]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Our present planning assumptions, which are routinely updated as required, are as follows:
| Name | Out-of-service date |
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current out-of-service dates are for (a) HMS Cornwall, (b) HMS Cumberland, (c) HMS Campbeltown and (d) HMS Chatham. [233701]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Our present planning assumptions, which are routinely updated as required, are as follows:
| Name | Out-of-service date |
Treasury
Bank of England
Mr. Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what non-routine interventions and injections of liquidity by his Department or the Bank of England into the financial markets there have been since 1 August 2007; and what the (a) date, (b) amount and (c) date on which the action was made public was in each case. [227000]
Ian Pearson: The comprehensive financial support package announced on 8 October and the specific details announced on 13 October detail the steps taken to ensure financial stability, including the extension of the Special Liquidity Scheme providing short-term liquidity.
The provision of liquidity to the financial markets is a matter for the Bank of England. Details of most of the Bank’s scheduled operations are published on its website.
Bank Services: Fees and Charges
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints were received by the Financial Ombudsman Service on (a) bank charges and (b) credit card charges in each year since 1997; what recent discussions (i) he, (ii) Ministers in his Department and (iii) officials in his Department have had with the Financial Ombudsman Service on these issues; and if he will make a statement. [233905]
Ian Pearson: The day to day operations of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) are independent from Government control and influence.
Ministers and officials meet the FOS on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Banks
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which occasions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have met senior executives of (i) Lloyds TSB, (ii) HBOS and (iii) Bradford and Bingley in each of the last 12 months. [231781]
Ian Pearson: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Bradford and Bingley
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) duration and (b) methodology of the sale process for Bradford and Bingley's retail deposit business and branch network was; and whether such procedures allowed for the gathering of formal asset evaluation advice. [228500]
Ian Pearson: The sale process took place on 27 and 28 September 2008. In conjunction with our legal and financial advisors we assessed the bids received on the basis of how far they met our objectives of maintaining financial stability, protecting depositors and ensuring value for money for taxpayers.
Child Care Tax Credit
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sampling checks are made with child care providers to check that tax credit claimants are genuinely paying for and using child care services. [233088]
Mr. Timms: Each year, HMRC undertakes a full compliance inquiry into a random selection of tax credits claims. As part of this exercise, in claims where a contribution towards child care has been claimed, they will check with the child care provider to ensure that the amount claimed is correct. In addition, HMRC risk assess all tax credits claims and undertake a compliance examination where sufficient risk is identified. Where it is necessary to carry out a compliance inquiry into a claim that contains help towards child care costs, they will check if appropriate with the provider any amounts of child care being claimed.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many press and communications officers are employed by (a) his Department, (b) its non-departmental public bodies and (c) its agencies. [231330]
Angela Eagle: The information requested is as follows:
| Department | Press officers | Communications officers |
| (1) In addition there is currently one vacancy (2) This includes 13 publishing staff | ||
Departmental Personnel
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any permanent staff within (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies are classified as pre-surplus. [233645]
Angela Eagle: No staff at HM Treasury, DMO, OGC Buying Solutions or OGC are classified as pre-surplus.
Economic Situation
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department (a) has commissioned, (b) plans to commission and (c) has evaluated on the causes of the current international financial turbulence; when his Department last undertook a review of causes of the international financial turbulence that took into account (i) UK and (ii) international research; and if he will make a statement. [229513]
Ian Pearson: The ongoing turbulence has affected financial markets around the world and requires an international response. In April this year the Financial Stability Forum provided the G7 with a detailed report on the causes of the crisis and a comprehensive set of recommendations for strengthening the financial system for the future. Going forward, the FSF, with other multilateral institutions, will continue to play a central role in shaping the international response to the crisis.
Financial Services Authority
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many staff of each (a) sex, (b) age and (c) grade were employed by the Financial Services Authority on (i) 31 March 2006 and (ii) 31 March 2008; [233897]
(2) how much officials employed by the Financial Services Authority have received in bonuses in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available; [233921]
(3) what criteria are used to determine whether staff employed by the Financial Services Authority receive a bonus; and if he will make a statement. [233922]
Ian Pearson: These matters are the responsibility of the FSA, whose day to day operations are independent from Government control and influence.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with the Financial Services Authority in each week since June 2007; what the (i) location and (ii) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; who attended each meeting; what the cost was of each meeting, broken down by (A) administrative and (B) other costs; and if he will make a statement. [233920]
Ian Pearson: Ministers and officials meet the FSA on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
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