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Service Pensions: Taxation
Lord Howie of Troon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What action they are taking to investigate the mistaken taxation of Army attributable pensions.[HL3995]
Lord Bach: Since the statement of my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Dr Moonie) on 23 January this year, (Official Report, columns 891-902) in another place, the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency has been conducting a review to establish more clearly the exact extent of the problem with the mistaken taxation of service invaliding and attibutable pensions. This work is not complete but has revealed that some Royal Navy invaliding and attributable pensions awarded between 1973 and 1999 have also been mistakenly taxed. We will be reviewing all the case files of those who might have been affected and arranging for refunds to be made as appropriate. This will be done as quickly as possible but is expected to take some months given the need to review several thousand pension files. We will also be providing appropriate national publicity to allow those who think they might have a claim to apply for a tax refund.
Our research has not so far revealed any cases where Royal Air Force pensions were wrongly taxed and there is evidence that the RAF has had in place checks which would have uncovered cases where attributable pensions should have been exempt from tax. However, we will include the RAF in our continuing work to ensure that no error is left unidentified.
Our further work to date has confirmed that the problem was more extensive than originally understood but has also shown the complexity of the issues involved as over time changes have been made to the organisations responsible for administering the pensions and to the rules governing the schemes. We have therefore concluded that we should set up an internal review, completely independent of the staffs involved, to establish the precise extent of the current problems and to expose any other problems that may exist. This independent review will look across all three services, be launched as soon as possible and is likely to take a number of months to complete. The review team will be headed-up by a senior civil servant and consist of staff drawn from the Defence Internal Audit. In order to provide external confidence, the NAO will be invited to validate the procedures. We will report the findings to the House. Rebo
Hunting with Dogs
Lord Willoughby de Broke asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How (a) "upland" and (b) "lowland" areas are classified or defined; and[HL3620]
In the light of the evidence given to the Burns inquiry by the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which stated that 75,000 foxes per year are killed involving the use of dogs and that this system would need to be replaced if a ban was introduced, what plans, if any, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has considered as an alternative system of pest control.[HL3621]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) announced on 21 March that in relation to hunting with dogs he would conduct a process which will allow individuals and organisations to contribute their views and evidence, in particular on the issues of cruelty and utility. All views submitted will be given due consideration.
Baroness Golding asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How they suggest that (a) fox, (b) deer, (c) hare or (d) mink can be located; and[HL3622]
What method they suggest for tracking and destroying a shot and wounded deer; and[HL3623]
Whether there is an assumption within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that hunting is cruel; and, if so, what evidence of cruelty the Government have in addition to any material made available to the Burns inquiry.[HL3624]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) announced on 21 March that in relation to hunting with dogs he would conduct a process which will allow individuals and organisations to contribute their views and evidence, in particular on the issues of cruelty and utility. All views submitted will be given due consideration.
Lord Donoughue asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What advice can be offered to pest controllers as to how to identify a pregnant (a) fox, (b) hare, (c) deer or (d) mink at night when using a rifle.[HL3625]
What advice is given to pest controllers about the shooting of a pregnant (a) fox, (b) hare, (c) deer or (d) mink as far as its offspring is concerned.[HL3626]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) announced on 21 March that in relation to hunting with dogs he would conduct a process which will allow individuals and organisations to contribute their views and evidence, in particular on the issues of cruelty and utility. All views submitted will be given due consideration.
Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What action is recommended for pest controllers to take with regard to a shot and wounded pest that seeks refuge underground; and[HL3627]
What advice can be given to pest controllers with regard to the flushing of foxes from thick cover or woodland; and[HL3628]
How, in the context of pest control of foxes, "cover" is defined.[HL3629]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) announced on 21 March that in relation to hunting with dogs he would conduct a process which will allow individuals and organisations to contribute their views and evidence, in particular on the issues of cruelty and utility. All views submitted will be given due consideration.
Lord Mancroft asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What tests or research have been conducted into the viability of methods of pest control.[HL3630]
Lord Whitty: We have an ongoing process of research and development into the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of pest control methods.
Lord Mancroft asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will consult the police and Home Office with regard to enforceability of legislation that might ban or restrict hunting; and[HL3631]
What figures and research are available with regard to levels of suffering to animals (including rats and rabbits) caught in (a) snares, (b) cage traps, (c) killed by poison, (d) killed by dogs and (e) caught in leg hold traps.[HL3632]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) announced on 21 March that in relation to hunting with dogs he would conduct a process which will allow individuals and organisations to contribute their views and evidence, in particular on the issues of cruelty and utility. All views submitted will be given due consideration. Rebo
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether all those organisations who submitted evidence to Lord Burns' inquiry in relation to cruelty and utility will be invited to contribute to the current consultation period; and whether they are willing to use the Burns report as a basis for legislation and consultation; and[HL3633]
Whether they intend to consult members of the Burns inquiry team during the consultation process, in particular Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior on veterinary matters and the issue of cruelty and Professor Michael Winter on utility.[HL3634]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) announced on 21 March that in relation to hunting with dogs he would conduct a process which will allow individuals and organisations to contribute their views and evidence, in particular on the issues of cruelty and utility. All views submitted will be given due consideration.
Lord Geddes asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What shot size and shotgun type are recommended for the culling of (a) foxes, (b) hares, (c) deer and (d) mink; and[HL3641]
Whether they have given consideration to the difference between "cruelty" and "suffering" in relation to animals; and[HL3642]
Whether they consider cruelty to be a subjective or scientific matter; and[HL3643]
Whether they will consult the veterinary group Vets for Hunting during the consultation period on hunting.[HL3646]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) announced on 21 March that in relation to hunting with dogs he would conduct a process which will allow individuals and organisations to contribute their views and evidence, in particular on the issues of cruelty and utility. All views submitted will be given due consideration.
Lord Geddes asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they accept the findings of a poll carried out in 2001 that showed that 79 per cent of rural veterinary surgeons believe fox control is necessary in their areas; and[HL3644]
Whether they accept the findings of a poll carried out by NOP that shows that 63 per cent of rural veterinary surgeons oppose a hunting ban on welfare grounds.[HL3645]
Lord Whitty: The Government do not comment on individual opinion polls.
Rebo
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