Thanks both!
I've just had a play around and at the largest aperture is f/3.5 at 18mm for the stock lens or f/3.5 at 28mm for the other (although I lose some of the wide angle as it's an EF lens on an EF-S camera).
That makes the bigger lens marginally faster.
Off topic question, how does the physical lens diameter affect the outcome?
The stock EOS450D lens has a 58mm diameter whereas the other one (actually it's the stock EOS3 lens) has a diameter of 72mm.
Thanks again
I might take my EOS3 along with me also