Important: Leave to Remain Approvals under Tier 1,Visa dates

[mmmsa5]

May be it's too early to think about 5 year qualifying period in the face of rapidly changing immigration rules. Anyway, my understanding about qualifying period is that it starts the day your leave to remain (in country switching) as Tier 1 is issued (sticker in the passport).

In my case the date decision to grant me further leave to remain as Tier 1 was taken on 3 April 2008 (Date on cover letter). But the date of issue of leave as Tier 1 (on visa sticker) is 10 Apr 2008. The thing which is bothering me is Valid untill date on the visa sticker is 3 Apr 2011 (It is 1 week short of 3 years starting from the date of issue of visa on the passport).

My question is: does the qualifying period start from 10 Apr 2008 in this case (as this is the date of issue on visa sticker)? If so, why I have not been given visa untill 10 Apr 2011?

Can I please ask the other members who have recently received their approvals under Tier 1 post these dates (valid from and valid untill) for clarification.

[mmmsa5]

Now in 3 years time if I apply for further leave to remain as T1 by sending my application 4 weeks before my current leave expire and HO take the decision say in 1 week. Would that mean that I will be 4 weeks short of qualifying 5 years period at the end of my second leave to remain as Tier 1 (considering they start counting the time of visa validity from the date they take the decision)?