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Central Services Agency
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what stage has been reached in the market testing of the legal services of the central services agency for the health and public social services. [5018]
Mr. Moss: On 25 September 1995, the chief executive of the management executive established a project board to take forward this market test. The project board is finalising the form of the tender documents, and a public notice inviting interested parties to tender is imminent.
Legal Services
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what way the current proposals for market testing of legal services avoid offending public probity as expressed by the chief executive of the management executive in a letter to the general manager of the Northern health and social services board dated 2 February. [5019]
Mr. Moss: The present proposal to market test legal services will use a process and deliver a product which will comply with the full rigour of public probity. It will observe generally accepted principles of full and open competition and aim to produce a framework from which health and personal social services clients will be able to obtain value for money legal services.
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the arrangements for the market testing of the
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legal services directorate differ from those applied to other public sector services in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. [5021]
Mr. Moss: The legal services directorate of the Central Services Agency provides legal services to a range of clients operating within the health and personal social services. These clients are acting together through a project board to market test legal services. In this respect, the approach may be perceived as different from that adopted in the majority of market tests, where there is usually a single customer. In addition, the market test involves the creation of a list of firms with the requisite competency to undertake the work. This approach will give users a choice of legal representatives.
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who was responsible for producing the draft arrangements for the provision of legal services to HPSS clients. [5020]
Mr. Moss: The "Protocol for the Management of Legal Cases in the Health and Personal Social Services" was produced by the Central Services Agency in consultation with the chief executive of the management executive.
Local Enterprise Development Unit
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was expenditure has been incurred by LEDU in respect of promoting equality of economic opportunity throughout Northern Ireland. [4778]
Mr. Ancram: LEDU is fully committed to supporting the elimination of all forms of unlawful discrimination in employment and to using its services to help to secure the objectives of the fair employment, sex discrimination and disabled persons legislation, and seeks to ensure equality of opportunity and fair treatment for all in the implementation of all its programmes.
In addition, LEDU is fully committed to the Government policy of targeting social need and has committed funding of £3,658,349 so far in 1995-96 to client companies and individuals operating in disadvantaged areas.
Larne Lough
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of shellfish cultivation in Larne lough; and what action he has taken to ensure that the objectives set out in the draft conservation plan for Larne lough special protection area. [4798]
Mr. Moss: Before issuing licences for shellfish farming, the Department of Agriculture consults the Department of the Environment to establish whether the proposals would have a detrimental environmental effect. The Department of the Environment considers the proposals in the context of the information that it holds on the flora and fauna of the littoral and sub-tidal habitats and any other plans or proposals for the area. Both Departments also consider any risk arising from the introduction of non-native species. In addition to the steps outlined above, the Department of the Environment will
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monitor bird populations and marine and coastal habitats, to assess whether changes of conservation significance are taking place in the lough.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many licences for shellfish cultivation in Larne lough (a) have been granted and (b) are currently under consideration. [4797]
Mr. Ancram: Two fish culture licences have been granted in respect of shellfish cultivation in Larne lough and two applications for licenses for shellfish farming in the lough are currently under consideration.
Shellfish Order (Northern Ireland) 1930
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to (a) amend or (b) repeal the Shellfish Order (Northern Ireland) 1930. [4783]
Mr. Moss: Records indicate that no such order exists.
Belfast Lough
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the high and low tide marks are indicated on the foreshore around Belfast lough. [4784]
Mr. Moss: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland under its chief executive, Mr Michael Brand. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from J. F. Codd to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 7 December 1995:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked the Chief Executive to reply to your Question about high and low tide marks on the foreshore around Belfast Lough. In the absence of the Chief Executive I am replying on his behalf.
There is no indication of tide marks on the foreshore. Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland large-scale maps show natural features including the coast, which is depicted by two lines; the High Water Mark Mean Tides (HWMMT) and the Low Water Mark Mean Tides (LWMMT) which are predicted levels.
"The Nemesis File"
Mr. Allason: To ask the Secretary of Stae for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the statement of a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers NCO contained in the "The Nemesis File." [4864]
Sir John Wheeler: I have not read this book, but I am aware the Ministry of Defence issued a statement at the time of the book's publication expressing serious doubts about the author's claim to have been a member of the SAS. In view of the nature of the allegations, however, the RUC serious crime squad will investigate the claims made in the book.
Punishment Beatings
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the frequency of punishment beatings in the period (a) before, (b) during and (c) after President Clinton's visit to Northern Ireland; and what assessment he has made of this estimate. [5553]
Sir John Wheeler: The information requested is as follows:
| Month | Loyalist | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1995 | 4 | 13 | 17 |
| July 1995 | 11 | 18 | 29 |
| August 1995 | 5 | 12 | 17 |
| September 1995 | 4 | 12 | 16 |
| October 1995 | 4 | 21 | 25 |
| November 1995 | 11 | 11 | 22 |
| December 1st-11th | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Total | 40 | 89 | 129 |
These statistics have been provided by the RUC and are subject to amendment.
Between 22 November and 4 December no such attacks were carried out by either loyalists or republican groups. It is clear the groups perpetrating these savage and cowardly acts are acting under control. As President Clinton said while in Northern Ireland, they should cease now.
Departmental Payments
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of bills to his Department were paid in accordance with agreed contractual conditions or, where no such contractual conditions existed, within 30 days of receiving goods and services or the presentation of a valid invoice in the last year for which figures are available. [5699]
Sir John Wheeler: Departments are required to provide details of their performance in their departmental reports.
In 1994-1995, the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments paid 94.7 per cent. of their bills in accordance with agreed contractual conditions, or within 30 days of receiving goods and services, or on presentation of a valid invoice.
Mr. Patrick Finucane
Mr. Mallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recommendations of (a) the International Commission of Jurists, (b) the United Kingdom nominee on the UN Sub-Commission on Rights, (c) the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights and (d) the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights in respect of a judicial inquiry into the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the death of Mr. Patrick Finucane. [5810]
Sir John Wheeler: There has been an RUC investigation into the murder of Mr. Finucane. The circumstances relating to the murder were also investigated by members of the enquiry team headed by Mr. John Stevens. A full investigation report was submitted by Mr. Stevens to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, who directed that there should be no prosecutions. I have no plans to establish a judicial inquiry.
Mr. Mallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to establish a judicial
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inquiry into the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the death of Mr. Patrick Finucane. [5809]
Sir John Wheeler: I have no plans to establish a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the murder of Mr. Finucane. These were investigated by Mr. John Stevens and a summary of the report was published.
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