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Tourist Board Grants
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Northern Ireland tourist board defines as being within the Greater Belfast area for the purposes of deciding upon grant applications for new hotels.
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Mr. Ancram: The Northern Ireland tourist board currently defines the Greater Belfast area as the area within a 10-mile radius of Belfast city centre.
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many grants or loans have been approved by the Northern Ireland tourist board for (a) new hotels, (b) extensions to existing hotels and (c) licensed guest inns in the Greater Belfast area in the first three months of 1995.
Mr. Ancram: In the first three months of 1995, no grants or loans were approved by the Northern Ireland tourist board for new hotels, extensions to existing hotels or licensed guest inns in the Greater Belfast area.
Trade Missions
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the occasions on which he and his ministerial colleagues have been on overseas trade missions in (a) 1992 93; (b) 1993 94; and (c) 1994 95: how many such visits are programmed for 1995 96; and if he will give the outturn, estimated or anticipated cost for each year.
Mr. Ancram: Ministers did not accompany any trade missions from Northern Ireland in 1992 93 or 1993 94.
My noble Friend Baroness Denton accompanied three missions in 1994 95, and plans to accompany five missions in 1995 96.
The cost in 1994 95 of ministerial involvement with trade missions amounted to £9,878.96.
It is not possible at this stage to provide a precise figure of the expenditure likely to be incurred in 1995 96. A number of variable factors will influence the final outturn including the length of stay, location and transport costs.
Educational Administration
Mr. Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many responses he has received regarding proposed changes to further education in Northern Ireland; and of these, how many were in favour of change;
(2) what plans he has to disband the South Eastern Education and Library Board;
(3) when he plans to publish his policy document on education strategy for Northern Ireland.
Mr. Ancram: The Government's proposals for the future system of educational administration in Northern Ireland were published on 10 April. Copies are available in the Library and the consultation period on the proposals extends until 9 June 1995.
Equine Encephalomyelitis
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of cases of equine encephalomyelitis in each year since 1985.
Warble Fly
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of cases of warble fly in (a) 1984, and (b) 1994.
Mr. Ancram: There were 17 cases in 1984 and none in 1994.
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Sinn Fein Manifestos
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will investigate the printing of Sinn Fein manifestos at the Belfast institute Brunswick site; what authorisation was given by the institute; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram: I have been assured that the Belfast institute has not authorised the printing of manifestos for any political organisation and that, as far as it is possible to determine, no such material has been printed at the Brunswick street campus.
Punishment Beatings
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the total number of punishment beatings recorded since the start of the ceasefires, (b) the numbers attributable to the various paramilitary organisations and (c) the types of injury inflicted.
Sir John Wheeler: Between 1 September and 5 April, a total of 90 so- called punishment beatings took place of which 33 were attributed to Loyalist and 57 to Republican groups. Some 78 of these have taken place since 13 October 1994.
The question of the type of injury suffered by the victims of these assaults is a medical one.
Strangford-Portaferry Ferry Service
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much it cost to operate the Strangford to Portaferry service in each of the years from 1 April 1991 to 31 March 1995.
Mr. Moss: Expenditure on the operation of the Strangford ferry for the period in question has been as follows:
£000 Year |1991-1992 |1992-1993 |1993-1994 |1994-1995<1> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operational costs |556 |650 |722 |688 <1> Provisional figure.
Inward Investment
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits were made by industrialists in connection with potential inward investment projects to each district council area in Northern Ireland from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995 and of these how many were repeat visits.
Mr. Ancram: During the period 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995, 480 visits were made to Northern Ireland in connection with potential inward investment projects. Of this number, 315 were first time visits and 165 were repeat visits.
A breakdown of the visits in terms of district council areas is set out in the table.
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Annex A
District council |First visits |Repeat visits
areas
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antrim |32 |20
Ards |2 |3
Armagh |1 |-
Ballymena |10 |4
Ballymoney |5 |-
Banbridge |1 |1
Belfast: IDB only |120 |78
Belfast: Making Belfast |120 |78
Work Areas |120 |78
Belfast: Others |120 |78
Carrickfergus |12 |6
Castlereagh |2 |-
Coleraine |5 |3
Cookstown |3 |1
Craigavon |12 |5
Derry |16 |8
Down |7 |7
Dungannon |11 |6
Fermanagh |2 |1
Larne |7 |2
Limavady |3 |-
Lisburn |14 |10
Magherafelt |5 |-
Moyle |- |-
Newry/Mourne |14 |4
Newtownabbey |19 |6
North Down |6 |-
Omagh |3 |-
Strabane |3 |-
Total |315 |165
Roads (Expenditure)
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the capital expenditure on major roads provision in each of the roads divisions from 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1995.
Mr. Moss: Expenditure on major roads schemes--that is, mainly those costing over £200,000--in each division of DOE roads service for the period in question, has been as follows:
Expenditure in £000s
|Financial Year
|1993-94 |1994-95<1>
------------------------------------------------------------
Bally Mena |1,859 |1,564
Belfast |12,713 |11,281
Coleraine |1,623 |1,321
Craigavon |1,369 |4,248
Downpatrick |1,026 |558
Omagh |320 |827
Total |18,910 |19,799
<1> Provisional figures.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the capital expenditure on minor roads provision in each of the roads divisions from 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1995.
Mr. Moss: Expenditure on minor roads schemes--that is, mainly those costing less than £200,000--in each division of DOE roads service for the period in question, has been as follows:
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Expenditure in £000s
|Financial year
|1993-94 |1994-95<1>
------------------------------------------------------------
Bally Mena |2,258 |2,373
Belfast |2,583 |2,814
Coleraine |2,663 |2,517
Craigavon |2,677 |2,722
Downpatrick |2,379 |2,314
Omagh |2,598 |2,448
Total |15,158 |15,188
<1> Provisional figures.
Job Creation
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs have been created by the Local Enterprise Development Unit from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995; and if he will list the location of these jobs.
Mr. Ancram: Information on job creation by the Local Enterprise Development Unit client companies during 1994 95 is not yet available. It will be included in the Local Enterprise Development Unit's end of year results, which will be published in mid-May.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs were created by the Industrial Development Board from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995; how many were the result of inward investment contracts; and what are the location of these jobs.
Mr. Ancram: Information on job creations is not available in the manner requested or by location. However, details of jobs promoted by the Industrial Development Board during the period 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995 are currently being collated and will be available after the publication of IDB's end of year statement in mid-May.
Advisers
Ms Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many advisers his Department employs broken down to show (a) political advisers and (b) economic advisers; at what grade and salary they are employed; and what are their minimum working hours in each case.
Sir John Wheeler: The Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office employ one political adviser at special adviser grade and one part-time economic adviser.
Salaries for special advisers are negotiated individually and are confidential. They are, however, normally paid on a special adviser's salary spine of 34 points ranging from £19,503 to £67,609, for 41 conditioned hours per week.
The part-time economic adviser works at least one half-day per week and is paid £12,000 per annum.
In addition, economic advice is obtained from career civil servants who may be employed on a variety of working patterns.
Blood Transfusion Agency
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the contract was signed for the new blood transfusion building at Belfast City hospital; what was the contract period for completion; when the
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building will be ready for occupation; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Moss: The contract for the construction of the headquarters of the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency at the Belfast City hospital site commenced on 15 March 1993.
Practical completion of the project will be achieved on 15 April 1995 with phased occupancy commencing on 1 May 1995.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Civil Service College
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil servants have attended courses on delegated pay at the Civil Service college in the last 12 months; and what information he has on the numbers who will attend courses in the period up to April 1996. [19220]
Mr. Horam: This question concerns operational matters and I have asked the chief executive of the Civil Service college to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from S.H.F. Hickey to Mrs. Ann Taylor dated 11 April 1995:
The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to your question about courses on delegated pay at the Civil Service College (Ref PQ 19220).
The College has run a number of courses and seminars which were wholly or mainly concerned with delegated pay. In the year to 31 March 1995, 329 civil servants attended these events and since then a further 40 have attended.
We have a number of events already planned for the remainder of the year to 31 March 1996 and our current estimate is that these will attract 400 civil servants.
Official Report
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the annual discounted prices to a school and to a library for the daily and weekly Official Reports . [19234]
Mr. Horam: The annual subscription price of the daily Official Report to a school is £1,275 and to a publicly funded library £637.50. The annual subscription price of the weekly Official Report to a school is £775 and to a publicly funded library £387.50.
Top People's Seminars
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many top people's seminars have been held in 1994 95; how many are proposed for 1995 96; and what is the estimated outturn cost to public funds for 1994 95 and the cost allocated or 1995 96. [18420]
Mr. David Hunt: The Cabinet Office runs a development course for grade 3s known as the top management programme. During 1994 95, there were four four-week and five two-week courses and during 1995 96 there is provision for four four-week and four two-week courses. The cost to public funds in 1994 95 was £497,500, the allocated funds for 1995 96 are £539,050.
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Correspondence
Mr. Dover: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the latest figures showing the volume of correspondence received by Ministers and agency chief executives from hon. Members, the targets
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set for reply and the percentage of replies sent within target. [19750]Mr. Horam: The 1994 correspondence figures are set out in the table. The table also sets out the corresponding figures for 1993, first published on 24 June 1994, Official Report, columns 334 38.
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Annex A
Correspondence from Members of Parliament to Ministers and Agency Chief Executives
1993 1994
Department/ |Target set for reply |Number of letters |Percentage of |Target set for reply |Number of letters |Percentage of
|replies |replies
/Agency |(working days) |received |within target |(working days) |received |within target
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |15 |11,150 |69 |15 |9,429 |80
-Intervention Board |- |- |- |10 |109 |96
Cabinet Office (OPSS) |15 |911 |59 |15 |941 |71
-Recruitment and Assessment Services |- |- |- |15 |25 |100
Central Statistical Office |10 |63 |77 |<1>10 |70 |67
Crown Prosecution Service |15 |229 |66 |15 |206 |76
Customs and Excise |18 |6,457 |55 |18 |<2>4,969 |62
Ministry of Defence |15 |6,374 |75 |15 |7,769 |69
-Defence Accounts Agency |- |- |- |10 |51 |90
-Defence Research Agency |15 |53 |66 |15 |48 |63
Department for Education |20 |17,049 |84 |20 |<2>12,615 |85
-Teachers' Pensions Agency |10 |98 |92 |10 |70 |97
Office for Standards in Education<3> |- |- |- |10 |96 |90
Department of Employment |15 |7,604 |85 |15 |6,821 |82
-Employment Service |15 |313 |92 |15 |1,156 |85
Department of the Environment |15 |21,057 |54 |15 |17,767 |57
-Planning Inspectorate Agency |8 |555 |80 |8 |<4>604 |80
Foreign and Commonwealth Office |10 |9,641 |83 |10 |11,178 |89
Department of Health |20 |19,822 |72 |20 |16,311 |84
-NHS Pensions Agency |20 |14 |100 |8 |93 |100
Her Majesty's Stationery Office |5 |11 |100 |5 |11 |91
Home Office |15 25 |15,950 11,381 |25 52 | 515 525 |14,830 12,845 |20 51
-Her Majesty's Prison Service |25 |348 |54 |15 |1,569 |<6>73
-UK Passport Agency |15 |40 |83 |15 |172 |95
Inland Revenue |1823 |4,202 805 |45 39 | 18 23 |<2, 7>5,063 <2, 8>1,048|50 60
-Valuation Office |23 |74 |45 |15 |<2, 9>23 |78
Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers |15 |675 |77 |15 |<10>549 |76
Lord Chancellors Department |20 |6,716 |84 |20 |5,166 |83
-Her Majesty's Land Registry |20 |40 |100 |20 |31 |90
-Public Trust Office<11> |- |- |- |15 |36 |75
Department of National Heritage |18 |1,145 |83 |18 |3,490 |83
-Royal Parks Agency |- |- |- |18 |15 |80
Northern Ireland Office -(inc Northern Ireland Depts) | 10 15 |3,814 2,057 |66 73 | <12>10 <13>15 |<2>3,468 <2>1,924 |65 75
-Child Support Agency (NI) |10 |27 |96 |10 |48 |88
-Compensation Agency (NI) |7 |80 |85 |7 |102 |94
-Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (NI) |- |- |- |5 |14 |100
-Social Security Agency (NI) |10 |28 |82 |10 |28 |93
-Valuation and Lands Agency (NI) |- |- |- |10 |14 |100
Overseas Development Administration |15 |4,218 |87 |15 |3,962 |93
The Scottish Office |17 |6,860 |52 |17 |5,562 |49
-Scottish Prison Service |- |- |- |17 |68 |76
-Historical Scotland |- |- |- |17 |13 |92
Department of Social Security |20 |23,518 |76 |20 |23,193 |64
-Benefits Agency |20 |28,242 |84 |20 |<14>21,411 |93
-Child Support Agency |20 |2,222 |13 |20 |9,092 |25
-Contributions Agency |20 |264 |70 |20 |299 |67
-War Pensions<15> |- |- |- |20 |522 |99
Department of Trade and Industry |10 |25,988 |66 |10 |<2>23,171 |74
-Companies House |10 |159 |46 |10 |79 |66
-Insolvency Service |10 |30 |97 |10 |33 |88
-Radiocommunications Agency |10 |43 |100 |10 |38 |100
Department of Transport |15 |24,754 |71 |15 |<2>20,905 |72
-Coastguard Agency |- |- |- |15 |<16>20 |100
-Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |10 |345 |95 |10 |357 |95
-Driving Standards Agency |10 |91 |96 |10 |87 |87
-Highway Agency |- |- |- |15 |<16>422 |47
-Marine Safety Agency |- |- |- |15 |<17>21 |100
-Transport Research Laboratory |- |- |- |15 |10 |90
-Vehicle Inspectorate |15 |15 |93 |15 |17 |100
Her Majesty's Treasury |15 |11,396 |58 |15 |<2>4,728 |54
Welsh Office |12 |3,468 |81 |12 |3,062 |73
-CADW: Welsh Historic Monuments |12 |31 |91 |12 |47 |93
Notes on 1994 figures<18>:
<1> Represents target set for CSO to submit replies to Her Majesty's Treasury. In addition, the Chief Executive received 3 letters direct from Members of Parliament, of which 2 were replied to within the 10 working day
target.
<2> Includes all ministerial replies, not only those letters to Members of Parliament.
<3> Replies sent by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools.
<4> Figure includes letters received direct from Members of Parliament as well as via ministers' offices. Figure also includes 43 cases which relate to Wales.
<5> Targets within the Home Office are expressed in calendar days and because of bank holidays, performance will occasionally be measured against fewer than the 15 or 25 working day target. The 25 day target is for
replies to Immigration and Nationality Department, Prison Service and UK Passport Agency subjects; the 15 day target is for all other subjects. Members of Parliament are encouraged to write direct to the Immigration and
Nationality Department Board. These letters are included in the totals shown.
<6> Due to the installation of a new computerised correspondence tracking system it is not possible to give a figure for replies within target for the whole period. The figure of 73 per cent. is based on 241 cases from 1
October 1994.
<7> Head Office figures.
<8> Local Office figures. Includes 664 "delegated cases", where local officials replied direct to MPs.
<9> In addition the Valuation Office replied to 122 letters on behalf of Treasury Ministers, of which 56 per cent. were replied to within the 23 day target.
<10> This figure excludes letters received by the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers which were subsequently replied to by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
<11> The Public Trust Office became an Executive Agency on 1 July 1994, and figures given are for all correspondence replied to by the Chief Executive between that date and the 31 December 1994.
<12> Replies signed by the Minister.
<13> Replies signed by Private Secretary to the Minister.
<14> Includes correspondence from Members of Parliament sent direct to district offices.
<15> War Pensions Agency was launched on 1 April 1994.
<16> Figures provided for period 1 April 1994-31 December 1994.
<17> Includes figures for Surveyor General's Organisation for 1 January 1994-31 March 1994.
<18> The 1993 figures are taken from the Official Report, 24 June 1994, columns 334-338. Please also refer to notes given with that reply.
In addition the following Departments and Agencies received between 1 and 10 letters from Members of Parliament during 1994 but are not shown in the table.
-Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Central Science Laboratory, Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Central Veterinary Laboratory.
-Cabinet Office: Central Office of Information.
-Ministry of Defence: Army Base Repair Organisation, Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Defence Animal Centre, Duke of Yorks Royal Military School, Meterological Office and the RAF Training Group.
-Department of the Environment: The Buying Agency and the Building Research Establishment Agency.
-Department of Health: Medicines Control Agency and NHS Estates.
-Export Credit Guarantee Department.
-Home Office: Forensic Science Service.
-Attorney General: Government Property Lawyers Agency.
-Lord Chancellor's Department: Public Record Office.
-Northern Ireland Office: Rate Collection Agency, Ordnance Survey of NI and Training and Employment Agency (NI).
-Scottish Office: Scottish Agricultural Science Agency.
-Serious Fraud Office.
-Department of Social Security: IT Services Agency and Resettlement Agency.
-Department of Trade and Industry: Accounts Services Agency, National Physical Laboratory, Patent Office and the Laboratory of the Government Chemist.
-Department of Transport: Vehicle Certification Agency.
Mr. Eastham: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the agencies and other bodies to whom questions from hon. Members for written answer are referred for reply and the Departments which answered before the agencies were established. [18848]
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Mr. Horam: I can answer only for the civil service. It is for Ministers in each Department to decide the best way in which to reply to questions from hon. Members. Where the question concerns operational matters dealt with by an executive agency, the Minister will usually decide that it would be more appropriate and helpful for a reply to be sent by the agency chief executive, who has the detailed
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knowledge which the hon. Member is seeking and has the necessary delegated authority to take appropriate action.All agencies, which are in the following list, remain part of the same Department to which they belonged before they were established. Ministerial Responsibility for Agencies
-- Lord Chancellor
Court Service
HM Land Registry
Public Record Office1
Public Trust Office
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Wilton Park
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Central Statistical Office1
HM Customs and Excise2
Inland Revenue2
PAYMASTER1
Royal Mint1
Valuation Office
Secretary of State for the Home Department
Fire Service College
Forensic Science Service
HM Prison Service
United Kingdom Passport Agency
President of the Board of Trade
Companies House
Insolvency Service
Laboratory of the Government Chemist
National Physical Laboratory
National Weights and Measures Laboratory
NEL
Patent Office
Radiocommunications Agency
Secretary of State for Transport
COASTGUARD
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Driving Standards Agency
Highways Agency
Marine Safety Agency
Transport Research Laboratory
Vehicle Certification Agency
Vehicle Inspectorate
Secretary of State for Defence
Army Base Repair Organisation
Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency
Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment
Defence Accounts Agency
Defence Analytical Services Agency
Defence Animal Centre
Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency
Defence Operational Analysis Centre
Defence Postal and Courier Services
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
Defence Transport and Movements Executive
Disposal Sales Agency
Duke of York's Royal Military School
Hydrographic Office
Logistic Information Systems Agency
Maintenance Group Defence Agency
Meteorological Office
Military Survey
Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation
Naval Recruiting and Training Agency
Queen Victoria School
RAF Signals Engineering Establishment
RAF Training Group Defence Agency
Service Children's Schools (North West Europe)
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
ADAS3
Central Science Laboratory
Central Veterinary Laboratory
Intervention Board14
Meat Hygiene Service
Pesticides Safety Directorate
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Secretary of State for National Heritage
Historic Royal Palaces Agency
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