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Hydro-electricity

Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the amount of public money which is being allocated to the development of hydro-electric power generation in Northern Ireland, (b) the site where the developments will take place and (c) the amount allocated to each locality. [13999]

Mr. Ancram: There are no publc funds allocated to the development of hydro-electric power generation in Northern Ireland.

Departmental Publications

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of his Department's administrative manuals and internal guidance are now made public; and which remain private. [14021]

Sir John Wheeler: The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments have many hundreds of administrative manuals and internal guidance leaflets and could provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.

However, the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments are all committed to the code of practice on access to government information and have agreed to make available on request as much information as possible except where release could prejudice any matters which should properly be kept confidential under annexe A, part II of the code.

LEDU Employees

Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the religious affiliation of employees within LEDU--Local Enterprise Development Unit--at the (a) Belfast, (b) Newry, (c) Ballymena, (d) Omagh, (e) Londonderry and (f) Newtownards regional offices. [14051]

Mr. Ancram: Under article 14A of the Fair Employment (Monitoring) Regulations 1989, LEDU is unable to answer this question.

Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the religious balance in respect of employees in LEDU. [14052]

14 Feb 1996 : Column: 646

Mr. Ancram: The religious composition of LEDU employees is as follows:

	Amount
Protestant employees	152
Roman Catholic employees	75
Employees whose community cannot be determined	2

LEDU Marketing Awareness Programme

Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the marketing awareness programme contracts allocated to Capita, indicating the value of each. [14053]

Mr. Ancram: The contract to manage LEDU's pilot marketing awareness programme for 1990-93 was awarded to Capita Management Consultants following a competitive tendering process. Capita was also appointed to manage the programme on a Northern Ireland-wide basis from October 1993 to March 1996 as the result of a further competitive tender.

Capita is the managing agent for MAP, which is delivered by a number of consultants throughout Northern Ireland.

The total value of MAP contracts awarded to date is £1.15 million. This includes both fees to Capita directly and to the various consultants who actually delivered the programme.

It would not be appropriate to disclose the value of individual contracts as these are commercial in confidence.

Computer Networks

Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all (a) Internet and (b) other computer network, sites or bulletin boards, operated by his Department or containing information supplied by his Department, indicating for each site or bulletin board (a) the inaugural date, (b) the timetable and policy in respect of updates, (c) the Internet, or other network, address of each site or board and (d) to whom the site or board is currently made available and the criteria which must be fulfilled by applicants for access. [14230]

Sir John Wheeler: The information is as follows:

(a) Internet
The business development service of the Department of Finance and Personnel operates an Internet service on behalf of Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office which also extends to their executive agencies and other associated bodies. The information requested on this is as follows:
(i) The NICS world wide web server was launched on 22 May 1995.
(ii) No formal timetable or policy for updates to existing information have yet been established, but inputting of new information and updates to existing entries on the NICS WWW pages are taking place continuously.
(iii) The site address is--
http://www.nics.gov.uk

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The directorate of information systems, part of the Health and Personal Social Services Management Executive of the Department of Health and Social Services, established a web server on the Internet as part of an HPSS pilot project.
(i) The server went live in October 1995.
(ii) Updates are accepted on an ad-hoc basis from the management executives, HPSS boards and trusts.
(iii) The site address is--
http://wwwn.n-i.nhs.vk
Both sides are freely available to other Internet users using web browsers or file transfer software.
(b) Other computer networks
Training access points is a Great Britain initiative which was introduced into Northern Ireland in 1989. The database consists of more than 10,500 records of education and training opportunities which can be accessed by the general public via computer terminal.
There are 41 terminals throughout Northern Ireland, mainly in Training and Employment Agency offices and open learning centres, installed over a period of four years.
The details of available information are updated monthly

Firearms

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of members of gun clubs are from each religious denomination. [14069]

Sir John Wheeler: Religion is not taken into account in the consideration of firearms certificate and firearms club applications. Such information is therefore unavailable.

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many gun licences have been granted in Northern Ireland since 1966; and how many guns can be held on one licence. [14065]

Sir John Wheeler: There are no records of the numbers of firearm certificates issued prior to 1975, but the table shows the number of certificates current at 31 December for each year since then:

1975: 78,216
1976; 79,718
1977: 81,402
1978: 82,248
1979: 83,549
1980: 85,379
1981: 83,342
1982: 84,250
1983: 85,170
1984: 86,039
1985: 88,340
1986: 89,169
1987: 88,358
1988: 88,130
1989: 88,410
1990: 87,422
1991: 86,907
1992: 87,456
1993: 87,383
1994: 87,949
1995: 88,170.

There is no specific limit to the number of firearms which can be held on one certificate. However, article

14 Feb 1996 : Column: 648

28(ii) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 states that a firearm certificate shall not be granted unless the Chief Constable is satisfied that the applicant has a good reason for purchasing, acquiring or having in his possession the firearm or ammunition in respect of which the application is made.

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the current figures for ownership of gun licences among (a) Protestants and (b) Roman Catholics. [14066]

Sir John Wheeler: There is no information held on the religious background of any firearm certificate holder or gun club member.

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many gun licences are currently held in Northern Ireland by farmers. [14067]

Sir John Wheeler: The information needed to answer this question is not available in the form requested and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the current memberships of gun clubs. [14068]

Sir John Wheeler: The total membership of the 42 approved firearms clubs in Northern Ireland is approximately 3,350.

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have taken place in the criteria relating to gun licences since the ceasefire. [14070]

Sir John Wheeler: The regulations governing the issue of firearms certificates are contained in the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and they have not changed since the order was made.

Spare Computer Capacity

Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all cases where spare computer capacity has been sold to other Departments since 1987, giving the Department and value of each contract. [14084]

Sir John Wheeler: There have been no cases.

Interpretation Act

Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set up a working party to arrange for drafting an updated merger of the Interpretation Act 1954, c. 33 (Northern Ireland) with the Interpretation Act 1978 c. 30. [13798]

Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 8 February 1996]: No. I am unaware of any concerns having been expressed about the operation of either the 1954 Act or the 1978 Act. I therefore have no plans to set up a working party to draft a new Interpretation Act.

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