Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many of each of the categories of future rapid effects system vehicles they expect to procure, following the defence planning round 2008. [HL2793]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The future rapid effect system utility vehicle is still in its assessment phase, with other specialist variants in the concept phase; the numbers and the balance between the categories of vehicles is yet to be finalised.
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have considered the concerns expressed by the United States General Accountability Office in its report of 11 March, Impact of Recent Decisions on Program Risks, in relation to the Joint Strike Fighter project; and what representations they are making to the United States authorities as to the continuance of the alternative engine programme within that project. [HL2583]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): We expect the UK's requirements for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) to be met through the systems development and demonstration phase of the programme, to which our contribution is fixed at $2 billion. The UK has consistently supported the continuance of a competitive engine approach for the JSF in order to de-risk the programme and reduce through-life support costs, and will closely monitor the progress of the president's budget through the US annual funding round.
Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What matters arose in the financial year 2007–08 which caused the cash shortfall of £150 million within the Armed Forces pension scheme; and [HL2554]
For what specific purposes the urgent expenditure within the Armed Forces pension scheme of £85 million is required; and [HL2555]
What steps they are taking to ensure that the necessary expenditure of the Armed Forces pension scheme is correctly budgeted for in future; and [HL2556]
Whether in future all the costs of the Armed Forces pension scheme will be brought within a single request for resources subject to an independent assessment before being brought before Parliament; and [HL2557]
On what date Ministers became aware of the £150 million cash shortfall within the Armed Forces pension scheme. [HL2558]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): A financial plan for the Armed Forces pension scheme (AFPS) is produced six months ahead of each new financial year. The plan estimates the various costs of the scheme using historical cost data from the previous year and increased to take account of any rise in costs as detailed in Her Majesty Treasury indices, as well as factoring in the variable costs such as members joining and leaving the scheme. Once agreed, the plan becomes the main estimate for the net cash requirement for the AFPS for the following financial year. However, whenever any of the assumptions used in the main estimate are at variance with actual performance during the year, additional funds can be obtained during the course of the financial year via the winter and spring supplementary estimates process. This is an entirely normal process that is designed to allow for unpredictable variations in factors such as the inflow and outflow of scheme members.
The 2007-08 spring supplementary estimate for the AFPS sought an increase in the net cash requirement of £150 million for the 2007-08 financial year due in the main to higher actual total terminal pension payments than had been included at the main estimate. The Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence in his role of accounting officer was advised on 8 February 2008. As part of this request, an advance of up to £85 million was also sought from the contingencies fund to meet pension payment cash requirements predicted to arise before Royal Assent of the Armed Forces retired pay and pensions vote. The advance will be repaid following parliamentary approval to the spring supplementary estimate, expected on 20 March 2008.
In the light of this occurrence, the mechanisms for estimating the cash requirement for AFPS will be carefully examined and any improvements identified will be fed into the main estimate process. All AFPS expenditure is subject to detailed National Audit Office scrutiny.
Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that all work-related better-off calculations currently made by JobcentrePlus take full account of any potential loss of access to passported benefits. [HL2461]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The better-off calculator produces accurate estimates, based on information the customer provides,
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The calculator provides written information for the customer, including advice about tax credits, housing and council tax benefits, NHS health costs, free school meals and healthy start vouchers, and this helps the customer to make an informed decision about entering work. A summary of all entitlements report is produced which includes information about the passported benefits the customer will remain entitled to in work.
The better-off calculator also provides information about financial help which may be available to the customer to help them move into work; for example, job grants.
Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:
On the latest figures, how many people in the City of Manchester were (a) claiming incapacity benefit; and (b) have been claiming incapacity benefit for more than five years. [HL2673]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): As at May 2007, there were 35,530 claimants of incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance in the Manchester City Council area. Of these, 20,580 people had been in receipt for five years or more.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Costs borne by the Ministry of Defence up to February 2008 for legal support to the Saville inquiry are £32,320,101. The majority of this cost is for legal advice and representation provided by the Treasury solicitors and counsel.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Under what circumstances a foreign citizen married to a United Kingdom citizen and living in the United Kingdom can become a British citizen. [HL2628]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The British Nationality Act 1981 contains three provisions which allow certain adult foreign citizens to register as a British citizen if they are of good character and:
In other cases, foreign citizens who wish to acquire British citizenship need to apply for naturalisation provided they meet certain residence and other requirements set out in the 1981 Act. Those who are married to a British citizen must be of good character and have a satisfactory knowledge of the English language and life in the United Kingdom. They must also have lived lawfully in the United Kingdom, without long absences, for at least three years and be free from immigration conditions by the time they apply.
Further information about the requirements for registration and naturalisation is available on the Home Office website at www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/britishcitizenship/information leaflets.
Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Lord Adonis): The cross-government review of carers now underway is a welcome opportunity to re-assess the support available to young carers. As part of the review, young carers have been consulted, and stakeholder bodies with knowledge of the issues are fully engaged. We look forward to receiving the review's final recommendations. A new national carers strategy is due to be launched later this spring.
In the interim, to secure early progress on an issue already highlighted in the review, we are providing an additional £3 million over the next three years to extend our planned Family Pathfinder programme, enabling selected areas to model and test better forms of preventive support around families with young carers. The main aim is to ensure that sufficient support is available around the person cared for and the family so that children do not fall into inappropriate caring roles. Over the next three years, the pathfinders will provide invaluable learning which will be shared across all areas.
To build capacity and improve the quality of support offered to young carers across the range of local settings, the DCSF is also currently funding the Children's Society and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers to develop new, broad-based guidance on whole family working and good practice principles in relation to young carers. Based on that guidance, training and awareness-raising events will begin shortly and will reach all regions over the next two years.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they have taken to implement the recommendations on privacy and data protection in the national CCTV strategy. [HL2580]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): A National CCTV Strategy Programme Board has been established. The programme board is currently scoping the recommendations of the strategy and later this year Ministers will have the opportunity to approve the work of the board.
Lord Taylor of Warwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The carbon reduction commitment (CRC) is scheduled to begin operation in 2010. It is a mandatory emissions trading scheme that will cover around 5,000 public and private organisations, including government departments, retailers, banks and local authorities, which account for approximately 10 per cent of the UK economy's emissions.
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What has been the impact of the climate change levy on levels of employment in manufacturing industries; and [HL2645]
What is the relationship between the climate change levy and outsourcing of manufacturing jobs from the United Kingdom. [HL2646]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The climate change levy was introduced in 2001 as part of a package of measures to encourage business energy efficiency. The package consists of:
the climate change levy;climate change agreements which entitle eligible firms to pay an 80 per cent discounted rate of the levy in return for emissions reduction targets agreed with Government;a 0.3 percentage point cut in employers’ national insurance contributions;enhanced capital allowances for energy-efficient products; andthe Carbon Trust,Independent modelling from Cambridge Econometrics suggests that the CCL package has led to a reduction
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Lord Ryder of Wensum asked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress is being made by the Environment Agency in its study into the effects of climate change on the Norfolk Broads; and what funding has been made available for this. [HL2604]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The Environment Agency will be starting a review of the coastal strategy from Eccles to Winterton later this year. This stretch of coastline protects the Broads from tidal inundation. The review will consider a number of options over the next 100 years, allowing for climate change, to determine the best course of action.
A climate change group involving the Environment Agency, the Broads Authority and Natural England has recently been set up. This will focus on the impacts and future adaptation to climate change in the Broads. The first meeting of this group will be in April where funding and the terms of reference will be decided. The intention of this group is to gather evidence of the current status, the predictions and what could potentially be done to adapt to climate change in the long and short term.
The Environment Agency's broadland flood alleviation project is also being implemented as a public private partnership working with Broadland Environmental Services Limited. This project covers a 20-year period ending in 2021.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 12 March (WA 235) and 13 March (WA 252) regarding representation of views on human cloning, how the relevant interests of members of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are recorded; and [HL2622]
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 12 March (WA 235) and 13 March (WA 252) regarding representation of views on human cloning, what percentage of licensing decisions regarding nuclear transfer involved participation of (a) those known to be in favour of reproductive cloning, whether expressed publicly or confidentially; and (b) those opposed to the creation of human embryos for such research. [HL2623]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): A register of Human Fertilisation and Embryology
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The most recent edition of the report in the Library is 2004-05.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which therapies and clinical trials currently use adult stem cells; and which currently use embryonic stem cells. [HL2705]
Lord Darzi of Denham: The department does not collect detailed information on the number of therapies and clinical trials involving adult stem cells or embryonic stem cells.