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Film Posters
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy in respect of the
8 Feb 1996 : Column: 324
display of posters of an explicit sexual nature at (a) the property of the Department of Environment and (b) the property of Ulsterbus; what posters for the film "Showgirls" are on display at the bus stop at Carryduff; and if he will make a statement on the display of posters in public areas. [12914]
Mr. Moss:
Neither the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland nor Ulsterbus permits the display of posters of an explicit sexual nature at their property; a poster advertising the film "Showgirls" on display at the privately owned bus shelter at Carryduff was removed by the owners in mid-January. The content of advertisements is controlled by a voluntary code of conduct supervised by the Advertising Standards Authority. It is an offence under the Indecent Advertisements Act 1889 to display publicly material which is of an indecent or obscene nature.
Mr. Tyler:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the annual expenditure figures and forecasts for the (a) countryside access scheme, (b) environmentally sensitive areas, (c) farm conservation grant scheme, (d) farm woodland premium scheme, (e) habitat scheme, (f) nitrate sensitive areas, (g) moorland scheme, (h) organic aid scheme and (i) countryside stewardship for each year between 1990-91 and 1997-98. [13637]
Mr. Ancram
[holding answer 5 February 1996]: The information is as follows:
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| 1990-91 | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Not applicable in Northern Ireland | ||||||||
| b. | 217 | 474 | 628 | 587 | 528 | 1,712 | 4,335 | 4,381 |
| c. | 6,376 | 6,276 | 4,749 | 6,255 | 6,249 | 3,960 | 2,390 | 1,549 |
| d. | -- | -- | 0 | 69 | 113 | 163 | 272 | 324 |
| e. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 0 | 350 | 350 |
| f. Not applicable in Northern Ireland | ||||||||
| g. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 0 | 350 | 350 |
| h. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 0 | 58 | 60 |
| i. Not applicable in Northern Ireland |
8 Feb 1996 : Column: 323
Midwives
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many midwives are employed at each hospital in Northern Ireland in (a) permanent and (b) temporary posts; and how many of those employed in these posts are (i) Roman Catholic, (ii) Protestant and (iii) in non-determined categories; [13938]
- (2) how many midwives were appointed to (a) permanent posts and (b) temporary posts at each hospital in Northern Ireland to date during 1996; and how many of those appointed were (i) Roman Catholic, (ii) Protestant and (iii) non-determined at each hospital; [13940]
(3) how many midwives were appointed to (a) permanent and (b) temporary posts at each hospital in Northern Ireland during the last 12 months; and how many Roman Catholic, Protestant and non-determined midwives were appointed at each hospital. [12939]
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Mr. Moss: The information requested is not held centrally.
Cookstown Bypass
Rev. William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to implement the provision of a Cookstown bypass. [12590]
Mr. Moss [holding answer 7 February 1996]: A scheme to complete a bypass of Cookstown--the Cookstown eastern distributor road--is included in the Department's six to 15-year major road works programme, but its precise timing will depend on future funding levels.
Omagh Bypass
Rev. William McCrea:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to
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provide the finances necessary to conclude the Omagh bypass. [12591]
Mr. Moss
[holding answer 7 February 1996]: The final stage of the Omagh throughpass is included in the Department's six to 15-year major works programme, but its precise timing will depend on future funding levels.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations his Department carried out with the voluntary sector before announcing the discontinuance of exemptions for public service vehicles and road service licensing of volunteer drivers and their vehicles; and what account was taken of the decision to be in line with the 1993 strategy document of the volunteer activity unit in coming to this decision. [13799]
Mr. Moss:
The health and personal social services executive has had no consultations with the voluntary sector. However, it wrote to voluntary organisations on the 20 December 1995 informing them of the Department of the Environment's intention to withdraw, probably from May 1996, exemptions from public service vehicle and road service licensing requirements for volunteer car services under the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967. The HPSS executive at the same time indicated its intention to discuss ways of facilitating this change with the minimum impact on volunteers. The Department of the Environment is aware of the 1993 strategy document, but it has an overriding duty under section 6(1)(i) of the Transport Act (NI) 1967 to ensure fair competition among persons providing facilities for the carriage of passengers for reward. Volunteer car services which operate for reward are not at present exempt from road service licensing.
Mr. McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will specify those current European laws designed to promote fair competition which his Department assesses to be preventing volunteer car services from retaining public service vehicle exemptions; and if he will publish the legal opinion he has obtained on the subject. [13800]
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Mr. Moss:
Whether the exemptions from public service vehicle regulations currently granted to volunteer car services conflict with European competition law has not been tested in the courts. However, the Department of the Environment has a duty under section 6(1)(i) of the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to ensure fair competition among persons providing facilities for the carriage of passengers for reward.
Mr. McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will amend the Transport Act 1967 formally to exempt volunteer car services from the road service licensing requirements of that Act. [13801]
Mr. Moss:
The Department of the Environment is examining the possibility of amending the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 with a view to creating special licensing arrangements for volunteer car services while continuing to provide for the proper regulation of public transport services to ensure fair competition among persons providing facilities for the carriage of passengers for reward. The Department does not intend to proceed with plans to phase out the existing concessions until it is known whether suitable arrangements can be made.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost to the Sports Council of the review by Price Waterhouse of the junior sports club scheme. [13801]
Mr. Ancram:
The cost to the Sports Council was £5,500.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs to (a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his Department's non-departmental public bodies staff for each of the years (i) 1979-80, (ii) 1989-90, (iii) 1991-92, (iv) 1993-94, (v) 1994-95, (vi) 1995-96 and (vii) 1996-97; and if internal telephone directories are available to staff in all areas of (a) to (c). [11402]
Sir John Wheeler
[holding answer 25 January 1996]: The information for the Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Departments and agencies is as follows.
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| 1979-80 | 1989-90 | 1991-92 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | (30)1995-96 | (30)1996-97 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland Departments and Northern Ireland Office | (31)372 | 6,874 | 6,157 | 7,184 | 7,072 | 7,030 | (32)3,842 |
| Agencies | -- | -- | 1,237 | 1,959 | 1,826 | 1,655 | (33)105 |
(30) Estimated.
(31) Figures available for DHSS and DENI only.
(32) Excludes DED, DOE and DHSS as budgets have not been agreed to this level of detail.
(33) Figures available for the Valuation Lands Agency only.
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These figures include capital expenditure. Figures for the Compensation Agency are included in the departmental returns.
Within the Northern Ireland Office, agencies have their own internal directories. The NIO internal directory is available to NIO core staff but not to staff in the agencies.
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Within Northern Ireland Departments, departmental internal telephone directories are available to all staff within those Departments and their agencies. In addition, the Department of Finance and Personnel's Telecoms branch produce a paper network telephone directory for all Northern Ireland civil service buildings connection to the DIAL telecommunications network within Northern Ireland. These directories are distributed at a ratio of one directory per three people. Government telecommunications network directories are also distributed for all buildings in the network.
Information on non-departmental public bodies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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