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University of Ulster Campus

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors underlay the delay in the publication of the Planning, Industrial and Economic Development Advisers report into the proposed university of Ulster campus at Springvale; when it will be published;

6 Dec 1995 : Column: 312

what was its cost; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy. [3182]

Mr. Moss: The factors associated with the delay in the publication of the PIEDA report include the complexity of the assignment and the need for extended consultation with Government officials and education interests. The final report is expected by the end of 1995 and a decision

6 Dec 1995 : Column: 313

about publication will then be taken. The cost of the economic appraisal to date is £82,263. No assessment of the adequacy of the assignment can be made until the final report has been received and considered.

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) elected representatives and (b) community activists whom PIEDA consultants consulted in drawing up their report into the proposed university of Ulster campus. [3183]

Mr. Moss: PIEDA consulted with three elected representatives from Belfast city council. They did not though consult any community groups as part of their assignment.

Inward Investment

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the firms from outside Northern Ireland which have made investments in Northern Ireland in (a) manufacturing industry (b) service industry and (c) for other purposes indicating where each firm's operations are located in Northern Ireland, the total investment made in respect of each firm and the amount of grant given from public funds to each firm, the percentage of the total investment this represents or as much of such information as is readily available to him for each of the last two years and the current year to the latest available date. [3469]

Mr. Ancram: Information on investments is not available in the form requested. Details are available for externally-owned companies which have accepted offers of selective financial assistance from the Industrial Development Board for manufacturing and tradeable services projects. They are set out in the tables.

1993-94--Accepted Offers--externally owned companies

Company name	IDB assistance offered £'000s	Total investment £'000s	Per cent. contribution
Rothmans Int Plc	200	995	20
Braidwater Spinning Co. Ltd.	50	465	11
ESS Automotive Ltd.	1,566	3,750	42
BCO Technologies (NI) Ltd.	6,581	15,139	43
Sheppard Group Ltd.	146	915	16
Du Pont (UK) Ltd.	800	11,870	7
CFM Group Ltd.	1,198	5,820	21
Charles Bell (1963) Ltd.	130	425	31
The Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd.	144	615	23
Lee Apparel (UK) Ltd.	931	4,128	23
Crestacare (NI) Ltd.	40	138	29
Finlay Hydrascreens (Omagh) Ltd.	576	1,631	35
Schrader Electronics Ltd.	831	2,378	35
Scottish Seafoods Ltd.	244	893	27
Valence Technology BV	25,625	147,200	17
Adria Ltd.	3,095	8,535	36
Courtaulds Textiles (Holdings) Ltd.	1,033	4,168	25
MKF (UK) Ltd.	2,815	10,440	27
Benelux Manufacturing (NI) Ltd.	10,440	36,600	29
Seagate Technology (Ireland)	1,581	3,514	45
Daewoo Electronics UK Ltd.	5,690	17,000	35
Chambernet (UK) Ltd.	23	59	39
Allied Bakeries Ltd.	143	953	15
DDL Incorporated	450	1,813	25
Training and Business Group (Overseas)	150	312	48
CCA Electronic Ltd.	4,360	9,460	46
CV Home Furnishing Ltd.	537	2,029	26
Shorts Brothers Plc	1,270	12,715	10
Spanboard Products Ltd.	542	4,151	13
Spence Bryson	180	477	38
Unidare Plastics Ltd.	880	2,843	31
Michelin Tyre Plc	1,804	7,215	25
Total	74,325	318,646	23

6 Dec 1995 : Column: 314

1994-95--accepted offers--externally owned companies

Company name	IDB assistance offered £'000s	Total investment £'000s	Percentage contribution
Transtec Foundries Ltd.	4,158	14,946	28
Courtaulds Textiles-- (Holdings) Ltd.	818	4,138	20
Ford Motor Co. Ltd.	3,645	15,462	24
Golden Vale Plc	2,500	12,509	20
C V Apparel Ltd.	486	1,800	27
Lucas Stability Electronics Ltd.	495	2,932	17
Allen Industrial Ltd.	226	543	42
Smurfit Corrugated Cases Ltd.	3,000	16,080	19
John Cleland & Son Ltd.	343	3,200	11
ABC Laboratories (Europe) Ltd.	1,805	2,937	37
Polystar (Ireland) Ltd.	600	2,388	25
NACCO Materials Handling (NI) Ltd.	4,600	6,331	73
Lurgan Fibre Ltd.	930	5,682	16
Glen Mouldings Ltd.	1,259	4,710	27
Perfecseal Ltd.	1,442	3,806	38
BKS Surveys Ltd.	25	184	14
Polarcup Ltd.	2,090	9,321	22
Bass Holdings Ltd.	948	3,132	30
Deahwa Metal Ltd.	2,928	7,004	42
Fujitsu Fulcrum Telecommunications Ltd.	1,760	3,624	49
Raelbrook (Group) Ltd.	25	580	4
Webtech (NI) Ltd.	532	1,773	30
British Telecommunications Plc	453	1,072	42
Schrader Electronics Ltd.	162	631	26
Real Software (NI) Ltd.	138	310	45
Seagate Technology (Ireland)	11,200	60,026	19
Rusch Manufacturing (UK) Ltd.	900	2,768	33
Michelin Tyre Plc	3,000	11,850	25
Glenbrook Foods Ltd.	375	2,006	19
Northern Telecom (Northern Ireland) Ltd.	752	3,625	21
Walter Alexander & Co. (Belfast) Ltd.	136	701	19
Dalgety Spillers Foods Ltd.	84	467	18
Radix Telecom Ltd.	4,676	19,084	25
Daewoo Electro Components (UK) Ltd.	3,816	9,218	41
Northern Bank Factors Ltd.	367	1,351	27
Harris Laboratories Ltd.	401	2,088	35
Daewoo Electronics UK Ltd.	5,243	14,869	35
Grand total	65,598	252,148	26

6 Dec 1995 : Column: 315

Students

Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors led to the increase in students attending institutions of higher education in the Republic of Ireland who were awarded maintenance grant by boards in Northern Ireland cited in his answer of 3 November 1995, Official Report, column 500; what was the cost for the most recent year for which figures are available; and what is his estimate of the growth of these numbers in 1996. [3542]

Mr. Ancram: Students from Northern Ireland can choose to study in the Republic of Ireland or any other country of the European Community. The increase in the number of students attending in the Republic of Ireland reflects this freedom of choice.

In the 1994-95 academic year some £2.2 million was expended by the education and library boards on means-tested maintenance and some £3.1 million on tuition fees in respect of those students.

The current estimate of the number of higher education students from Northern Ireland attending institutions in the Republic of Ireland in the 1995-96 academic year whose tuition fees will be paid by education and library boards is 2,000.

Irish Language

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the population of Northern Ireland his Department estimates

6 Dec 1995 : Column: 316

(a) have knowledge of and (b) regularly use the Irish language. [3532]

Sir John Wheeler: The 1991 census of population contains the most recent information on knowledge of the language. This indicates that 9.5 per cent. of those aged three and over had some ability in Irish. The 1991-92 continuous household survey shows that, of those people sampled who had some knowledge of the language, 1 per cent. of those aged 16 to 69 and 3 per cent. of those aged 3 to 15 used it in the home on a daily basis.

Agricultural Income

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the gross income for each sector of Northern Ireland agriculture in cash and constant prices for each of the last 10 years. [3461]

Mr. Ancram: Aggregate income estimates for each sector of agriculture are not available. The table provides details of total income from farming in Northern Ireland as a whole for each year from 1985 to 1994, in current prices and in real terms in index number form.

Total income from farming in Northern Ireland, 19685-1994

	Current prices	Real terms
	£ million	(Index 1990 = 100)(30)
1985	116.1	115.3
1986	90.4	86.7
1987	146.0	134.6
1988	169.4	148.9
1989	192.0	156.4
1990	134.3	100.0
1991	176.8	124.3
1992	212.5	144.1
1993	248.3	165.8
1994	303.3	197.6

(30) Deflated by the retail prices index.

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