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11 Dec 2008 : Column 264W—continued
VAT: Financial Services
Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of December 2008, Official Report, column 15W, on VAT: financial services, (1) what estimate he has made of the financial benefit the financial services sector will derive from the reduction in the standard rate of VAT; [242667]
(2) how much the financial services sector contributed to the Exchequer in (a) recoverable and (b) irrecoverable VAT in the last year for which figures are available. [242668]
Ian Pearson: Information on VAT receipts collected by trade sectors is published in the VAT Factsheet, available from:
In total the financial services sector (financial intermediation, insurance, pension fund and auxiliary activities) collected around £1 billion in net VAT receipts in 2005, the last year for which figures are published. This figure relates to all business activities of the relevant VAT registrations and not just their finance related activities, and does not include import VAT paid by these registrations.
HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on irrecoverable VAT. The sector’s irrecoverable VAT and robust estimates of the financial benefit from the reduction in the standard rate of VAT are therefore not available.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Lancaster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 24 November 2008, Official Report, column 1517W, on Afghanistan: military aircraft, for what reasons he made the statement ‘that I cannot understand why you are telling
people otherwise', in the text of an Answer to a Parliamentary Question. [242637]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The hon. Member and I have discussed this issue and we will continue to do so.
Armed Forces: Postal Services
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Christmas mail packages sent to armed forces personnel have been returned to the original sender in the last three months. [242445]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: These data are not recorded.
Armed Forces: Rescue Services
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the defence budget was spent on responding to (a) natural disasters, (b) network failures or disruption and (c) criminal activity in each year since 1997. [242880]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Defence budget does not include provision for responding to natural disasters, network failures or disruption, or criminal activity which are the lead responsibility of other Government Departments. Where the Ministry of Defence is called upon to assist, we would only do so free of charge where there were an imminent threat to human life, or seek repayment in the case of less severe threats. We do not keep a central record of all the costs reclaimed by Defence.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer given to the hon. Member for Congleton (Ann Winterton) of 25 November 2008, Official Report, column 1170W, on armoured vehicles (1) for how long it has been his Department's policy to refit unarmoured Jackals with armour; [242842]
(2) whether his Department plans to buy more unarmoured Jackals; what the cost of the improvement programme is; and where the vehicles have been operating. [242843]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The Department has not procured any unarmoured Jackals, nor does it intend to in the future. The Jackal configuration has always included the armour and, as the armour fit is a part of the vehicle base standard, there is no additional cost for fitting it. 13 vehicles were, however, released early to the training fleet before the armour was fitted to facilitate training. These vehicles have not been used on operations and are in service only within the UK-based training fleet. 12 of the 13 vehicles are currently undergoing a programme to fit the armour retrospectively at no cost to the Department.
Biological Weapons
Patrick Mercer:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what safeguards are in place for which his Department is responsible to prevent the acquisition of dangerous pathogens from UK civilian laboratories
by individuals intending to construct biological weapons. [241776]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The UK legislation governing the security of pathogens and toxins in civilian laboratories is contained in part 7 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Schedule 5 of this Act specifically identifies the pathogens which could potentially be utilised as biological weapons and requires the registration of laboratories with the UK holding this material for research purposes. The Act is implemented through the Home Office's National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO); details can be found at:
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) site at Porton Down undertakes research to provide safe and effective countermeasures for the UK and its armed forces against biological warfare agents, and therefore holds pathogenic agents. The effectively guarded laboratories at Dstl Porton Down have been inspected by NaCTSO and Dstl is fully compliant with the guidance as published by the Home Office.
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what safeguards are in place for which his Department is responsible to prevent the acquisition of scientific and technical knowledge from UK sources by individuals intending to construct (a) biological weapons, (b) chemical weapons and (c) nuclear or radiological weapons for the purpose of a terrorist attack. [241777]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) undertake research to provide safe and effective countermeasures for the UK and its armed forces against chemical, biological and radiological warfare agents.
Most of this work is not published and remains protected information on secure systems in secure sites. However, where possible, Dstl and AWE publish some results of their research programme in peer reviewed scientific literature but only after a very detailed internal clearance procedure to ensure that no information is released that will aid terrorism.
Departmental Disabled Staff
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [240987]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence's Equality and Diversity Scheme 2008-11 is available on the website at:
The scheme incorporates the disability equality duty together with other diversity strands covering race, gender, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation. The conclusions can be found in the annual progress report for 2007-08, which is due to be published shortly. A copy will be placed on the website and in the Library of the House.
The armed forces are exempt from the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what weapons system the Joint Strike Fighter will carry. [242822]
Mr. Quentin Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November 2008, Official Report, column 676W, to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Soames).
Navy: Piracy
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent guidance has been issued to the Royal Navy on engaging pirates. [242820]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison) on 9 December 2008, Official Report, column 54W.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships are undertaking anti-piracy patrols; and on how many occasions in the last 10 years the Royal Navy has engaged suspected pirates. [242821]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We have two Royal Navy vessels currently on counter-piracy operations. We do not hold records of the number of occasions the RN have engaged with suspected pirates over the last 10 years. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 20 November 2008, Official R eport, column 670W, on the number of such incidents in the last three months.
Rifles
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department plans to bring legacy L115 A1 and A2 sniper rifles up to the A3 standard; and if he will make a statement. [242422]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: There are no plans to convert legacy L115 Al sniper rifles to A3 standard; the L115 A2 is planned to be upgraded.
Northern Ireland
Attorney General for Northern Ireland: Public Appointments
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what process governs the appointment of the Attorney General Northern Ireland. [241021]
Paul Goggins:
The responsibilities of the Attorney-General for Northern Ireland (AGNI) currently attach ex officio to the Attorney-General for England and Wales. After devolution of criminal justice functions, the arrangements for appointment of the AGNI will be as set out in Part 2 of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002, which provides that the appointment is a matter for the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Section 22(6) requires that a person appointed as AGNI must be a member of the Bar of Northern Ireland or a solicitor of at least 10 years' standing.
Departmental Disabled Staff
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [240979]
Mr. Woodward: In Northern Ireland, Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 ensures that equality issues, including disability, are integral to the whole range of public policy decision making. Public authorities such as the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) are required to submit equality schemes to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) (as amended by Article 5 of the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006) introduced the ‘disability duties’ in Northern Ireland to reflect changes to disability legislation in Great Britain. In addition to section 75 the Northern Ireland Office is therefore required, when carrying out its functions, to have due regard to the need to:
promote positive attitudes towards disabled people; and
encourage participation by disabled people in public life.
Under Section 49B of the DDA 1995, the NIO submitted a three year disability action plan to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland which sets out how it proposes to fulfil the disability duties in relation to its functions.
The NIO reports annually to the Equality Commission on its equality scheme and this includes a report on progress against its disability action plan. The annual report from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 has been published and can be found at:
http://www.nio.gov.uk/section_75_northern_ireland_act_1998 __annual_progress_report_1_april_2007_-_31_march_2008.pdf
Departmental Work Experience
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals have worked in his Department on (a) paid and (b) unpaid work experience or internships in each of the last three years; on average how many hours a week were worked by such people in each year; what types of work each was involved in; what proportion were in full-time education; what proportion did not complete their set period of work experience; and how much those who received remuneration were paid on average per week in each year. [242108]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) participates in Cabinet Office summer placement schemes aimed at attracting talented undergraduates/graduates with either disabilities or from ethnic minorities to the Civil Service Fast Stream. The Department provides salaried placements of six to eight weeks duration working in policy areas or on projects.
The NIO has also provided one-year salaried placements for IT sandwich students to enable them to meet the industry relevant skills element of their IT degree courses.
While in the Department the students provide IT helpdesk support to staff. In addition, the NIO facilitates ad hoc requests for unpaid work experience of up to one week's duration for students in secondary level education. This allows students to experience work in the civil service and involves mainly shadowing existing staff. All the students facilitated have been in full-time education at the time, each working 36 to 37 hours per week, and all completed their set time period. The following table provides details of the placements facilitated in the last three years:
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Parades Commission
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits have been undertaken by members of the Parades Commission to venues outside Northern Ireland in the last five years; which venues were visited; on what dates; and what the cost was of each visit. [241812]
Paul Goggins: This is an operational matter for the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland, which operates independently of Government, and I would encourage the hon. Member to write to the Secretary of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland directly.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which members of the Parades Commission have undertaken visits on official business outside Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and which venues have been visited. [241813]
Paul Goggins: This is an operational matter for the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland, which operates independently of Government, and I would encourage the hon. Member to write to the Secretary of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland directly.
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