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ˆ
1989 1990 1991
Board |Number of |Number of |Number of |Number of |Number of |Number of
|vacancies filled|applications |vacancies filled|applications |vacancies filled|applications
|received |received |received
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast |102 |585 |105 |1,249 |98 |823
North-Eastern |64 |463 |81 |762 |68 |458
South-Eastern |82 |949 |73 |1,228 |32 |267
Southern |41 |467 |82 |1,194 |120 |1,924
Western |93 |1,065 |77 |650 |96 |683
In 1989 one complaint against the Southern board was taken to the Fair Employment Agency which upheld the board's decision. In 1990 two complaints were made to the North-Eastern board but went no further. In 1991 two complaints against the Southern board were taken to the Fair Employment Commission, one is now awaiting a tribunal hearing, the other, together with a third complaint, against the Western board, is still under consideration.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for each of the last three years for which figures are available the number of vacancies filled by the Housing Executive, the
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number of applications received by the Executive for those posts in each year and the number of complaints made under the fair employment legislation in respect of those posts in each year and the number of such complaints which went to a tribunal ; how many went to court ; what sums were paid in compensation ; and how many are still ongoing.Mr. Needham : The information available is as follows :
|1990 |1991
---------------------------------------------
Number of vacancies filled |588 |131
Number of applications
received |7,000|4,500
I am advised by the chairman of the Housing Executive that there were no complaints in 1989 or 1991. In 1990 four complaints were taken to the Fair Employment Commission which is still considering them.
98. Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the rate collection agency to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment legislation and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.
Mr. Needham : The rate collection agency has no responsibility for the appointment of its staff. All permanent appointments to the agency are made by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland which has a full-time equal opportunities officer in its employment.
The recruitment of casual staff by the agency is monitored centrally by the equal opportunities unit of the Department of Finance and Personnel.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what steps have been taken by the area education and library boards to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments ;
(2) what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the area education and library boards are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1988.
Dr. Mawhinney : Following the publication of an equal opportunities policy statement in 1989, committing the boards to the principle of equality of opportunity, each board established an equal opportunties unit, in January 1990, to comply with its statutory obligations. This policy statement is emphasised within the overall training programme for board members, officers of the boards, school governors and members of governing bodies of institutions of further education, including training for membership of selection panels for recruitment and promotion purposes. A guidance memorandum has been issued by the boards to all boards of governors, together with a distance learning package, providing advice on all matters relating to equality of opportunity for persons both employed and seeking employment.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.
Mr. Needham : This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I have been advised by its chairman that the executive has implemented a number of steps to ensure that the fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.
An equal opportunities unit was established in 1989 and its staff are trained in the legislation relating to fair employment and sex discrimination. The unit is
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responsible for monitoring the impact of personnel policies, including recruitment, throughout the organisation and has developed equal opportunities polices in respect of sex, religion and disability. The application of policies which have been approved by the board of the Executive and agreed with the staff trade union, NIPSA, is monitored by the unit.The unit has also organised several seminars to ensure that staff are aware of the policies and that they are implemented effectively. The Executive has also set up an equality working group, which is comprised of a wide spectrum of Executive staff from across the Province, and participates in the employers equality group which has representatives from some of the major employers in the Province.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by each district council to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.
Mr. Needham : District councils are employers in their own right and it is a matter, therefore, for each council to ensure that it complies with the statutory requirements of the fair employment and sex discrimination legislation.
I understand, however, that every council, in recognition of the importance of the requirements, has allocated responsibility for monitoring equality of opportunity to an officer at chief officer level.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the Northern Ireland Tourist Board are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1988.
Mr. Needham : Fair employment and sex discrimination legislation are emphasised in training programmes for all board staff likely to be involved in selection interviewing. In advance of selection interviews panel members receive written guidance on good practice and are fully briefed on their responsibilities.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the rate collection agency are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1988.
Mr. Needham : The Rate Collection Agency does not at present have responsibility for the convening of interview panels to fill posts within the agency. All full-time appointments to the agency are made by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland and where recruitment of such staff is involved this is undertaken by recruitment branch of the Department of Finance and Personnel. In so far as recruitment for casual employment is concerned this is undertaken by the agency's own staff by way of interview panels normally consisting of two persons. Only those staff who have received training in recruitment interviewing by the Department of the
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Environment's training branch are eligible to sit on such panels. This training includes briefing on employment legislation in Northern Ireland.Promotion to higher grades is also presently the responsibility of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. All agency staff who meet the eligibility criteria for promotion are entitled to be considered and all promotion panels are set up by the Department of the Environment in accordance with established civil service procedures.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination Order (Northern Ireland) 1988.
Mr. Needham : This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I have been advised by its chairman that all staff involved in interviewing either internal or external candidates for posts in the executive must complete a three-day training course. The course contains specific elements relating to equal opportunities issues including fair employment and sex discrimination legislation. Participants are given an overview of the legislation, its purpose and the need for monitoring, together with illustration of types of direct and indirect discriminatory practices.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in district councils are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1988.
Mr. Needham : Under section 40 of the Local Government Act (NI) 1972 the Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland is responsible for establishing a code of procedure for securing fair and equal consideration of applications to district councils by persons seeking to be employed by them.
The staff commission has established an equality of opportunity working group to review the equality of opportunity policies and practices of district councils. It is anticipated that the staff commission will produce a code of practice on recruitment and selection in May this year for adoption by all councils. The code will require all those involved in interview panels to be properly trained on all aspects of fair employment and sex discrimination legislation. Training will be undertaken by the staff commission and the Public Service Training Council.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to appoint equality officers who will ensure that fair employment legislation and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.
Mr. Needham : The responsibilities of the board's personnel manager include those of equality officer.
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Improvement and Repair Grants
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many applications for improvement grants have been (a) made, (b) approved and (c) refused in each year from 1 April 1988, and from 1 April to 31 December 1991, at (i) Lisburn and (ii) Newry offices ;
(2) how many applications for repair grants have been (a) made, (b) approved and (c) refused in each year from 1 April 1988, and from 1 April to 31 December 1991 at (i) Lisburn and (ii) Newry offices.
Mr. Needham : These are matters for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but the chairman has advised me that information about the number of cases refused is not recorded and that details of the number of applications received is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The number of applications approved are as follows :
Year Improvement GranRepair Grants
|Lisburn|Newry |Lisburn|Newry
---------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |158 |305 |318 |181
1989-90 |127 |195 |330 |205
1990-91 |153 |192 |200 |170
<1>1991-92 |142 |172 |207 |130
<1> To 31 December 1991.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for improvement and repair grants have not been approved due to the current moratorium placed on all capital expenditure at (i) Lisburn and (ii) Newry offices.
Mr. Needham : This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but the chairman has informed me that approval of applications for improvement and repair grants has not been affected by the temporary pause in spending on new capital contracts and some maintenance works.
Construction Industry
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs he estimates to have been lost in the construction industry as a result of the moratorium placed on capital expenditure in early December 1991.
Mr. Needham : It is not possible to assess accurately the impact on jobs in the construction industry of the temporary pause in spending on new capital contracts and some maintenance works. The overall employment effects are likely to be minimal as the total volume of public expenditure has not been reduced.
Housing Associations
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list new housing associations in Northern Ireland registered since 31 December 1987 ; and how many habitations are provided by each of them.
Mr. Needham : The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has registered only one housing association since 31 December 1987. The Oaklee housing association, which was registered on 4 November 1991, does not currently provide any units of habitation, but it
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will take over the properties currently owned by the James Butcher and Nih housing associations when the merger of these two associations is completed on 6 April 1992. The combined stock will consist of 1,473 self-contained dwellings and 254 bed spaces in shared accommodation.Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list details of grants and loans made to each unregistered housing association in Northern Ireland by the Housing Executive from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991, and from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991 ;
(2) if he will list details of grants and loans made to each housing association in Northern Ireland by the Housing Executive from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991, and from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991.
Mr. Needham : The chairman of the Housing Executive has advised me that grants to unregistered housing associations in Northern Ireland have been paid as follows :
|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|<1>1991
|£ |£ |£ |£
---------------------------------------------------------
Glenall Housing
Co-operative |- |- |3,750 |7,500
Victoria Estates |405 |405 |405 |405
<1>1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991.
The Housing Executive has not made any loans to unregistered housing associations in the period since 1 April 1988.
No grants or loans have been made to registered housing associations in these periods. Government funding of registered housing associations is channelled through the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland ; such details as are available are set out in the answer which I gave the hon. Member for North Down (Mr. Kilfedder) on 22 October 1991-- Official Report, columns 554-57.
Privatisations
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what change there will be to the block vote to Northern Ireland as a result of the privatisation of Harland and Wolff and Shorts.
Dr. Mawhinney : These privatisations do not affect the overall level of resources allocated to the Northern Ireland block, which is adjusted mainly through the operation of the comparability arrangements. Some payments are still to be made to the companies under the privatisation agreements but these will taper off over time.
The Way Ahead"
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to implement the proposals contained in the Housing Executive document about rural unfitness entitled, "The Way Ahead".
Mr. Needham : Implementation of the proposals contained in "The Way Ahead" is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I have been advised by the chairman that a number have already been put into practice. This has in some instances required detailed consultation with the Department of the
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Environment for Northern Ireland who will continue to support the executive's contribution to the rural initiative programme by responding as quickly as possible to any remaining policy issues.Anglo-Irish Conference
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when is the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish ministerial conference.
Dr. Mawhinney : The next meeting of the conference is likely to take place shortly.
EC Programmes
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the £18 million approved by the European Commission in respect of STRIDE, Prisma and Telematique programmes will be allocated in Northern Ireland. Mr. Needham : The amounts of EC aid allocated to the Northern Ireland programmes are as follows :
£10 million--STRIDE
£4 million--Prisma
£4 million--Telematique
All three programmes will be managed by the Department of Economic Development. Press announcements seeking applications for assistance under the STRIDE measure have already appeared and similar calls for Prisma and Telematique projects will be made shortly.
Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been charged with (a) an offence under section 25(2) (b) section 25(3)(a) or (c) section 25(3)(b) of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 19 February 1992] : No persons have been charged with an offence under any of these provisions since the coming into force of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 on 27 August last year.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Frankfurt Exhibition
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of support offered by his Department in respect of the Frankfurt international trade exhibition 1992 to the pottery industry.
Mr. Sainsbury : My Department did not provide financial assistance to the pottery industry for this event.
British Technology Group
Dr. Bray : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has discussed with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals or the heads of the research councils the sale of the British Technology Group.
Mr. Leigh : The DTI consulted with the Committee of
Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the United Kingdom
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universities about the invitations and advertisements issued in connection with the sale of British Technology Group plc, as required by section 7 of the British Technology Group Act 1991.Bureaux de Change
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to control exchange rate indications by bureaux de change.
Mr. Lilley : For too long the incomplete and obscure way some signs setting out exchange rate indications are displayed has led to confusion. Regulations I have laid before the House today will enable consumers to compare rates more easily and shop around for the best deal.
The Price Indications (Bureaux de Change) Regulations 1992 mean that exchange rate indications must : give full details of the terms on which transactions will be conducted. Where an operator buys and sells a currency at different rates, or buys and sells travellers cheques at different rates from notes, all rates will have to be given ; give full information on commission rates and any other fees, giving them the same degree of prominence as the exchange rates themselves ; be easily visible to customers as they approach the premises.
In addition, customers must be given : all information relevant to a particular transaction when they enquire about an exchange rate ; receipts setting out details of the transaction, except in the case of some machines ; a clear explanation of the basis on which the rate will be determined when currency is ordered for supply at a later date.
Bureaux de change must comply with these regulations which come into force on 18 May 1992.
However, requirements to display the information on fees and commission rates with the same degree of prominence as the exchange rates themselves will take effect on 18 May 1993. This is to allow operators time to modify or replace display equipment.
Financial Services
Mr. Michael Spicer : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made by EC member states towards providing for a single market in financial services with respect in particular to cross border branch networks and to cross border investment by one financial institution in another.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 19 February 1992] : The United Kingdom financial services sector already conducts a great deal of cross- border business either through subsidiaries or under the freedoms enshrined in the treaty of Rome. The single market programme was designed to facilitate this further by allowing insurance companies, banks, building societies and investment firms the ability to conduct business throughout the EC on the basis of home state authorisation.
Political agreement has been reached on a directive creating more freedom in non-life insurance and should be adopted by the Council of Ministers before the summer. Adoption of its sister directive on life assurance is expected by the end of this year.
The adopted second banking co-ordination directive will, from 1 January 1993, enable a credit institution--a bank or a building society in the United Kingdom--to branch and offer services into other member states on the
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basis of certain agreed minimum standards. The supervisory arrangements to deal with cross-border investment by credit institutions in groups which include a bank will also be covered by the second banking consolidated supervision directive which is expected to be adopted shortly.Negotiations on the investment services directive, which is intended to allow investment firms to establish branches and provide services throughout the EC subject to minimum standards, are stalled over draft provisions which would impose rules and restrictions on where and how financial transactions are undertaken. The United Kingdom supports the view of a number of member states that these measures would not open the EC investment services market and the directive would, in its current form, hinder the single market in financial services.
Coalfield Areas (Support)
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his statement of 17 February, Official Report, column 22, what contact he had with Commissioner Millan concerning the level and scope of the new business support measures in coalfield areas ; what amount of financial resources will be concerned ; and from what estimate they will be authorised.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 21 February 1992] : The United Kingdom RECHAR programmes sent to the European Commission in July 1990 all proposed that business support measures should be implemented as part of these programmes.
Implementation was delayed by the delay to the Commission's approval of the programmes in general. We have informed the Commission in outline about the proposed business support measures, which form one part of the programmes to be approved by Commissioner Millan.
I told the House on 17 February, Official Report, column 22 that, to contribute to the RECHAR programmes, the Government will shortly be announcing methods of new business support measures of our own to assist small firms in coalfield areas.
Defence Sales
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much, in each of the last five years, of the Export Credits Guarantee Department budget was available to support overseas defence sales.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 21 February 1992] : No amounts are set aside specifically for defence sales. Ministers announced in June 1988 a facility for providing £1 billion of export credit support for major defence exports, Official Report, 28 June 1988, columns 164-65. While the limit has been largely utilised, this represents only the level of defence sales supported within the terms of the facility.
EC Co-operative Statute
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the organisations that the United Kingdom Government are consulting on the draft European co-operative statute, adopted by the European Commission in December 1991.
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Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 24 February 1992] : The Government have not yet received a formal translation of the Commission's draft European co-operative statute. Consultation with interested bodies in the United Kingdom will take place as appropriate when we receive a formal proposal.National Engineering Laboratory
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of each external consultancy study undertaken in each of the last five years into the operation of the national engineering laboratory.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 24 February 1992] : Since the study by Touche Ross Management Consultants, completed in April 1989, there has been no external consultancy study covering the overall operation of NEL.
Publicity
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 24 February 1992] : I refer to the list of the departmental programmes given to the hon. Member on 1 July 1991, Official Report, column 20. Supporting publicity for those programmes continues, but there are no current plans for television advertising in the period referred to.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Social Fund
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it a requirement that the statement in "Social Fund Manual" paragraph 5023 be included in all area social fund officers' guidance.
Mr. Scott : We are currently considering the need for extending and amending the existing advice to area social fund officers on the production of their guidance.
Pensioners
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest estimates of how many pensioners are (a) male, (b) female, (c) single and (d) married, in Great Britain.
Miss Widdecombe : In mid-1990 the estimated number, in thousands, of men and women at state pension age and over in Great Britain was :
|Men |Women
-------------------------------
Married: |2,536|2,995
Not Married: |987 |3,741
Source: OPCS mid-year
estimates.
Low-Energy Lighting
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will make it his policy progressively to introduce low-energy lighting in all the buildings operated by his Department.
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Mr. Jack : The Department is committed to promoting energy efficiency and this policy was confirmed in the reply given to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 28 January 1991 at column 431-32 and at paragraph 122 of the 1992 departmental report (Cm. 1914), a copy of which is available in the Library.
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