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Disabled People
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what role will be played by his Department in any consultation on disability ; and what plans he has to publish a consultation paper on countering unfair discrimination against disabled people in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Ancram : My right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People announced the publication of a consultation document on 15 July. The consultation document extends to Northern Ireland and the relevant Northern Ireland Departments have contributed to its preparation.
Out-of-school Services
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total public expenditure on out-of-school services for children from the age of five for each year since 1989-90 ; and what was the total public expenditure on these services as a percentage of the gross domestic product for Northern Ireland for each of these years.
Mr. Ancram : The information is not available in the form requested.
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The Department of Health and Social Services grant-aids the Northern Ireland Childminding Association, whose members can care for school age and pre-school children. Since 1989-90, funding has been as follows :
|£
----------------------
1989-90 |15,000
1990-91 |24,000
1991-92 |24,000
1992-93 |31,000
1993-94 |46,000
However, it is not possible to distinguish an out-of-school element in this support.
In addition, in 1992-93 Northern Ireland's health and personal social services boards spent £1.7 million on family day centres, which provide a specialist support service to families at risk. These centres also provide specialist services for other families in the community. Again it is not possible to distinguish an out-of-school element in this expenditure.
Water Services
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what study his Department has made on the reform of charging for water services ; which other organisations his Department has consulted relating to privatising the water services industry in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what preparations his Department is making to carry out preparatory work on the reform of charging for water services ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : Options for new charging arrangements for water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland are being examined and I intend to publish a policy document in advance of the introduction of new arrangements.
Discussions have taken place about water privatisation with elected representatives, district councils and representatives of interested groups. Water privatisation will require legislation and the proposal for a draft order will be published for consultation.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress his Department has made towards the development of a private finance strategy and programme for the water services industry in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : As I announced on 30 March 1994, Official Report, columns 836-37, consultants have been appointed to carry out a study into the scope for attracting private sector finance to the Department of the Environment's water and sewerage construction programme. The consultant's report will be available very soon and it will form the basis for deciding how the private finance initiative is to be taken forward.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the Price Waterhouse study announced on 30 March into the scope for attracting private sector finance to the water and sewerage construction and improvement programme in Northern Ireland ; if he intends to make the report public ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : The feasibility study commenced in April 1994 and a report is expected before the end of July
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1994. The study was commissioned on a confidential basis because of commercial sensitivities of the issues involved. I have no plans to publish the report.Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent consecutively in each of the last three years on agency fees in preparation for the privatisation of the water services industry in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : The following sums have been paid in each of the last three years to consultants and other non-Government organisations for preparations related to the privatisation of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland :
|£ million
------------------------------
1991-92 |Nil
1992-93 |1.8
1993-94 |1.9
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received concerning disconnections of domestic water supply.
Mr. Tim Smith : Representations have been received from 23 individuals and 21 groups arguing against water companies having the power to disconnect domestic supplies when water and sewerage services are privatised in Northern Ireland. These concerns will be taken into consideration in determining new charging arrangements for water and sewerage services.
All-Ireland Occupational Health and Safety Institute
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy in respect of the establishment of an all- Ireland occupational health and safety institute ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : While I support cross-border co-operation in areas where substantial benefits can be achieved for both parts of the island, the viability of an all-Ireland occupational health and safety institute, from a Northern Ireland perspective, would be heavily dependent on the extent to which it could attract local support for its services and the degree to which its activities would be self-financing.
Compensation Agency
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has begun the triennial review of the Compensation Agency.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : A review of the agency status of the Compensation Agency has commenced. The performance of the Compensation Agency will be evaluated, and a prior options review of its activities will be carried out.
Special Advisers
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many special advisers who left his Department in each of the last five years became (a) management consultants and (b) joined a firm of consultants ;
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(2) how many special advisers have (a) joined and (b) left his Department in each of the last five years ;(3) if he will publish the names of the employers joined by special advisers who left his Department in each of the last five years.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : One special adviser has joined the Northern Ireland Office in the last five years. He was appointed in December 1991, resigned in March 1992 and was re-appointed as my special adviser in June 1992. There is no requirement for special advisers to provide details of their employers after leaving Government service.
Right to Buy
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many homes have been sold under the right-to-buy legislation in each year since its introduction ; and what was the number of public sector housing starts in each of those years.
Mr. Tim Smith : The Northern Ireland Housing Executive operates a scheme for the sale of its houses to secure tenants which mirrors the statutory right-to-buy scheme operating in England and Wales. The chief executive has advised me that house sales under the scheme, together with the number of new build starts, are as follows :
Year |Dwellings sold|New build
|starts
------------------------------------------------------------
1980-81 |1,994 |1,244
1981-82 |7,042 |4,680
1982-83 |5,554 |3,947
1983-84 |5,440 |3,705
1984-85 |5,422 |2,430
1985-86 |4,103 |1,508
1986-87 |3,184 |1,675
1987-88 |2,807 |1,633
1988-89 |3,368 |1,554
1989-90 |4,638 |1,405
1990-91 |4,092 |1,007
1991-92 |3,191 |814
1992-93 |3,228 |1,005
1993-94 |3,972 |1,064
|--- |---
Total |58,035 |27,671
Investment Aid
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answers of 8 July, Official Report , columns 359- 60 , if he will identify the leading independent internationally recognised consultants from whom he sought advice in connection with the implications for existing companies prior to reaching conculsions about the award of investment aid to encourage the opening of new facilities in Northern Ireland by the Hualon Corporation ; what was the cost of that advice ; if he will arrange for a copy of the advice to be made available in the Library ; what was the basis upon which the consultants were appointed ; what steps were taken to ensure that they had no conflict of interest with other clients ; what procedures are adopted in commissioning such consultants ; by whom the appointment was made ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : The international consultants were Kurt Salmon Associates.
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KSA conducted a detailed and comprehensive appraisal of the Hualon project--including technical, production and market aspects--and it is not possible to isolate the cost of the advice relating solely to the implications for existing companies.The KSA report contains commercially confidential information and therefore will not be made available in the Library.
The consultants were appointed on the basis of their international reputation and specialist expertise within the global textile industry.
It is the established code of practice among major international consultancy firms to declare any potential conflict of interest prior to taking on any assignment. No such conflict of interest was declared by KSA prior to accepting the Hualon assignment. In commissioning such consultants due weight is given to the extent and availability of their expert resources, their track record and their international standing.
KSA was selected and appointed by the Industrial Develpment Board from an internal register of specialist consultants.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answers of 8 July, Official Report , columns 359- 60 , how much money is being made available, and when, to the Hualon Corporation in the form of inward investment and other incentives to encourage it to proceed with plans to open a new facility in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Tim Smith : Total selective financial assistance offered towards the establishment of the Hualon textile plant is approximately £61 million. It will be paid out over a 10-year period as the project proceeds through its four phases, mainly in the form of grants towards capital expenditure on buildings, plant and machinery.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations his Department has received concerning estimated job losses associated with the award of investment aid to the Hualon Corporation in connection with the development of new textile facilities in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Tim Smith : My Department has received two representations concerning potential job losses as a consequence of the Hualon project.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answers of 8 July, Official Report, columns 359- 60, if he will now make it his policy in future to consult industry both in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the United Kingdom about the implications for existing companies prior to reaching conclusions about the award of investment aid to encourage the opening of new facilities in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Tim Smith : In reaching any decision to offer assistance to encourage new investment in Northern Ireland my Department is required to consider carefully the implications for existing companies both in Northern Ireland and in the rest of the United Kingdom. My Department does not consult industry or companies about such decisions and will not do so in future. This policy is
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the same as that applied in other parts of the United Kingdom where regional assistance is available and I see no reason to change this policy.Deregulation
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to the deregulation programme.
Mr. Tim Smith : Northern Ireland Departments are playing a full part in the deregulation initiative and have already made significant progress in the following areas :
(i) Enforcement Codes
Twenty three Enforcement Bodies in Northern Ireland have produced codes of practice outlining in simple language the standards of service businesses should expect from them and detailing clear complaints procedures in the event of dissatisfaction with the service received.
(ii) Review of "Non-parity" Legislation
A review has been conducted of the 30 items of legislation unique to Northern Ireland which impact on business. As a result of this review, it was decided to revoke five of these items.
(iii) Deregulation and Contracting-Out Bill
The Deregulation and Contracting-Out Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament, includes four specific measures which have been extended to Northern Ireland.
The remaining measures in the Bill which require action in Northern Ireland will be contained in a composite Northern Ireland Deregulation and Contracting-Out Order-in-Council.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sites of special scientific interest are listed in Northern Ireland, giving in each case their location and indicating which are at risk from proposed developments.
Mr. Tim Smith : There are currently 55 areas of special scientific interest in Northern Ireland ; a list of them, with locations, has been placed in the Library.
It is believed that no areas of special scientific interest are threatened by development at this time.
Environmental Protection Agency
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards the establishment of an environmental protection agency in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Tim Smith : In Northern Ireland most of the functions of the proposed agency in England and Wales are already carried out by one body, the Environment Service of the Department of the Environment. I will decide whether or not any proposals for change in Northern Ireland should be made when final details of the proposed agency in England and Wales are known and when I have received the results of the prior options study of the Environment Service which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 18 January 1994.
Waste Recycling
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards the Government's target of recycling 25 per cent. of reusable household waste.
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Mr. Tim Smith : Information on the volume of recyclable material collected in Northern Ireland is not held centrally. The recyclable materials most commonly collected in Northern Ireland are wastepaper ; glass ; aluminium cans ; oil. Collection facilities are based mainly on "bring" centres. Under new legislation currently being prepared district councils will be required to prepare recycling plans for their districts.
Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received from United Kingdom or foreign non- governmental organisations concerning the environmental risks of THORP.
Mr. Tim Smith : None. Responsibility for the regulation of the THORP plant rests with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Gas Pipes
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what agency or department owns the remnant gas pipe network in Derry city ; and what departments or agencies have responsibilities relating to its maintenance adaptation or disposal.
Mr. Tim Smith : The Londonderry Gaslight Company, which formerly owned the underground gas pipes, was wound up on 14 July 1993 and dissolved on 14 October 1993. Ownership of the underground gas pipes is currently under legal consideration.
Science and Watercourse Management Division
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will make a statement about possible executive agency status for the science and watercourse management division of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I have decided that the science service and the watercourse management division of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland should be considered as candidates for executive agency status, under the next steps initiative. Prior options studies will be undertaken to establish whether agency status or other options would be appropriate. I would welcome comments from interested parties.
Comments on the Veterinary Sciences Division should be sent to : The Secretary
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland
Veterinary Sciences Division
Stoney Road
Belfast BT4 3SD
Comments on Watercourse Management Division should be sent by 1 September to :
The Secretary
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland
Watercourse Management Division
Hydebank
4 Hospital Road
Belfast BT8 4RP
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Mentally Infirm People
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the admission policy in each health board area in Northern Ireland in respect of (a) the elderly mentally infirm and (b) Alzheimer's disease sufferers.
Mr. Ancram : Information on admission policy in each health board area in Northern Ireland in respect of (a) elderly mentally infirm and (b) people with Alzheimer's disease is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In general terms, admission to hospital, residential homes and nursing homes will be based on clinical judgment, multi-disciplinary assessment of the individual's need and the availability of appropriate services.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many patients in the Northern health board area in each of the last three years have been assessed as
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requiring EMI--elderly mentally infirm-- nursing care ; and how many have been placed in (a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes ;(2) how many patients suffering from dementia are presently placed in (a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes in each health board area in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Ancram : This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for membership of the RUC were made in each year since 1983 ; from which community they came ; and how many from each community were recruited.
Sir John Wheeler : Information is not available prior to 1990. Available information is as follows :
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Recruiting statistics-RUC
|Total |CB1 |CB2 |CB3 |CB1 |CB2 |CB3
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990 Applications |1,113 |842 |116 |155 |75.65 |10.42 |13.93
1990 Intakes |182 |159 |13 |10 |87.36 |7.14 |5.49
1991 Applications |1,704 |1,313 |191 |200 |77.05 |11.21 |11.74
1991 Intakes |180 |156 |17 |7 |86.67 |9.44 |3.89
1992 Applications |2,317 |1,716 |231 |370 |74.06 |9.97 |15.97
1992 Intakes |421 |368 |39 |14 |87.41 |9.26 |3.33
1993 Applications |733 |518 |86 |129 |70.67 |11.73 |17.60
1993 Intakes |207 |165 |14 |28 |79.71 |6.76 |13.53
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the goals and timetables set for the RUC and the RUC Reserve under section 31 of the Fair Employment Act ; and what success the RUC and the RUC Reserve have had in achieving them.
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 18 July 1994] : I understand that the RUC has no plans to publish the goals and timetables set for the RUC and the RUC Reserve under section 31 of the Fair Employment Act 1989, or to report on the success they have had in achieving them. A copy of the review prepared by the RUC under section 31 of the Act has been made available to the Fair Employment Commission.
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Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what were the percentage make-up and absolute number of the RUC and RUC Reserve perceived by religious affiliation for each year since 1983 ;
(2) what is the absolute and percentage numbers by perceived religious affiliation in each rank of the RUC and the RUC Reserve to the latest convenient date and each year since 1983.
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 18 July 1994] : This information is not available prior to 1990. Available information is as follows :
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Table 1: Royal Ulster Constabulary
RUC By Rank and Perceived Religious Affiliation 1990-1993
Community
Background
Rank |CB1 |CB2 |CB3 |Total |CB1 Per cent.|CB2 Per cent.|CB3 Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990
Chief Officers |10 |3 |1 |14 |71.4 |21.4 |7.1
Chief Superintendent |35 |8 |1 |44 |79.5 |18.2 |2.3
Superintendent |104 |17 |2 |123 |84.6 |13.8 |1.6
Chief Inspector |135 |22 |4 |161 |83.9 |13.7 |2.4
Inspector |421 |43 |17 |481 |87.5 |8.9 |3.5
Sergeant |1,213 |119 |30 |1,362 |89.1 |8.7 |2.2
Constable |5,445 |427 |186 |6,058 |89.9 |7.0 |3.1
|--- |-- |-- |--- |-- |-- |--
Total |7,363 |639 |241 |8,243 |- |- |-
CB as Percentage of Total |89.32 |7.75 |2.92 |- |- |- |-
1991
Chief Officers |10 |3 |1 |14 |71.4 |21.4 |7.1
Chief Superintendent |36 |7 |1 |44 |81.8 |15.9 |2.3
Superintendent |103 |16 |0 |110 |86.6 |13.4 |0.0
Chief Inspector |139 |20 |4 |163 |85.3 |12.3 |2.4
Inspector |422 |42 |18 |482 |87.5 |8.7 |3.7
Sergeant |1,228 |124 |28 |1,380 |89.0 |9.0 |2.0
Constable |5,407 |423 |190 |6,020 |89.8 |7.0 |3.2
|--- |-- |-- |--- |-- |-- |--
Total |7,345 |635 |242 |8,222 |- |- |-
CB as Percentage of Total |89.33 |7.72 |2.94 |- |- |- |-
1992
Chief Officers |11 |2 |1 |14 |78.6 |14.3 |7.1
Chief Superintendent |35 |6 |1 |42 |83.3 |14.3 |2.4
Superintendent |104 |17 |1 |122 |85.2 |13.9 |0.9
Chief Inspector |139 |20 |4 |163 |85.3 |12.3 |2.4
Inspector |426 |47 |17 |490 |86.9 |9.6 |3.5
Sergeant |1,250 |123 |24 |1,397 |89.5 |8.8 |1.7
Constable |5,617 |456 |182 |6,255 |89.8 |7.3 |2.9
|--- |-- |-- |--- |-- |-- |--
Total |7,582 |671 |230 |8,483 |- |- |-
CB as Percentage of Total |89.38 |7.91 |2.71 |- |- |- |-
1993
Chief Officers |10 |1 |1 |12 |83.3 |8.3 |8.3
Chief Superintendent |34 |7 |1 |42 |80.9 |16.7 |2.4
Superintendent |103 |17 |3 |123 |83.7 |13.8 |2.4
Chief Inspector |140 |22 |2 |164 |85.4 |13.4 |1.2
Inspector |427 |45 |17 |489 |87.3 |9.2 |3.5
Sergeant |1,261 |123 |24 |1,408 |89.6 |8.7 |1.7
Constable |5,575 |454 |203 |6,232 |89.4 |7.3 |3.3
|--- |-- |-- |--- |-- |-- |--
Total |7,550 |669 |251 |8,470 |- |- |-
CB as Percentage of Total |89.14 |7.90 |2.96 |- |- |- |-
Table 2: RUC Reserve (Full Time)
Community background |Full time reserve |CB as percentage
|of total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990
CB1 |2,699 |90.27
CB2 |163 |5.45
CB3 |128 |4.28
|----
Total |2,990
1991
CB1 |2,731 |89.78
CB2 |177 |5.82
CB3 |134 |4.40
|----
Total |3,042
1992
CB1 |2,817 |89.15
CB2 |192 |6.07
CB3 |151 |4.78
|----
Total |3,160
1993
CB1 |2,822 |88.60
CB2 |200 |6.28
CB3 |163 |5.12
|----
Total |3,185
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Table 3: RUC Reserve (Part Time)
Community background |Part time reserve |CB as percentage
|of total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990
CB1 |1,479 |95.05
CB2 |61 |3.92
CB3 |16 |1.03
|----
Total |1,556
1991
CB1 |1,440 |94.92
CB2 |62 |4.09
CB3 |15 |0.99
|----
Total |1,517
1992
CB1 |1,360 |94.97
CB2 |56 |3.91
CB3 |16 |1.12
|----
Total |1,432
1993
CB1 |1,320 |95.03
CB2 |52 |3.74
CB3 |17 |1.22
|----
Total |1,389
Note:
CB1-Perceived Protestant Community.
CB2-Perceived Roman Catholic Community.
CB3-Other.
All statistics are compiled as at end of year.
The RUC Reserve consists only of Constables.
Contracts
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 12 July, Official Report, columns 589-90, which company was finally awarded the contract ; which company was originally recommended by officials ; and what were the reasons for giving a direction.
Mr. Ancram [holding answer 18 July 1994] : The criteria for awarding public service contracts include such aspects as value for money, price and quality. Although officials had recommended that the contract in question be awarded to a previous contractor to the Northern Ireland civil service on the basis of, among other relevant criteria, a highly satisfactory performance, the Minister directed that it be awarded to a new contractor, Mount Charles Catering Ltd., on the determining factor of lowest cost.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fur Farms
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the number of licensed mink farms in (a) 1964, (b) 1974, (c) 1984 and (d) 1994.
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