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Mental Health Challenge Fund
Ms Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority will be given to bids for mental health challenge fund applications by those authorities that are over target according to the weighted capitation allocation formula. [17753]
Mr. Bowis: Bids from over target health authorities will be given the highest priority.
Capitation Targets
Ms Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage capitation target according to the weighted capitation allocation formula of each health authority in England. [17752]
Mr. Horam: A table showing planned 1996-97 health authority distance from targets in percentage terms will be placed in the Library.
Vinney Green Secure Unit
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will institute an inquiry into allegations of bribery at Vinney Green secure unit, Mangotsfield, Avon. [17847]
Mr. Bowis: I am not aware of any allegations of bribery involving staff or residents at Vinney Green secure unit.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Ministerial Accountability
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to paragraph K8.1 of the Scott report relating to ministerial accountability, what additional measures she proposes to ensure her Department's compliance with paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". [17312]
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 26 February 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 26 February, Official Report, columns 589-604.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Marketing Awareness Programme
Rev. Ian Paisley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the religious breakdown of employees in the marketing awareness programme. [14054]
28 Feb 1996 : Column: 552
Mr. Ancram:
The Local Enterprise Development Unit does not monitor the religious affiliation of individuals participating in the marketing awareness programme as they are involved as representatives of the company. The monitoring of the religious composition of companies is a matter for the Fair Employment Commission.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations have been made to the United States Government regarding visa applications from Sinn Fein members to travel to the United States since 9 February. [16349]
Mr. Ancram:
A decision on applications for visas to visit the United States is a matter for the US Government. We have informed the US Government of the changed circumstances of our contacts with Sinn Fein as a result of the breakdown in the IRA ceasefire.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 1 February, Official Report, column 792, what factors led him not to submit his decision on the choice of a Celtic torc and a Celtic cross as symbols representative of Northern Ireland on the new £1 coin, to his Department's policy appraisal and fair treatment guidelines. [16745]
Sir Patrick Mayhew:
The PAFT guidelines apply to the formulation of policy and delivery of services to the public. They would not normally be applied in the case of a consultation on the design of coins, where decisions are made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In any event, the consultation of the new £1 coin preceded the issue of the PAFT guidelines.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set out the costs to date of the Ulster dialect dictionary project at the Ulster folk and transport museum in terms of (a) staff and (b) computer systems; if he will make a statement on the future of this project; and what plans he has for the future of the equipment and the archives in the event of discontinuance. [16747]
Mr. Ancram:
The costs to date of staff have been £171,712, whilst the computer system has cost £37,745.
It is planned that the dictionary will be available to all schools for the 1996-97 school year. The database and equipment will be retained by the Ulster folk and transport museum. Future development will be a matter in the first instance for the museum.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has received as to the controls on sale or distribution of ingredients for the manufacture of terrorist bombs, and their equivalent, in the Irish Republic; and what assessment each jurisdiction has made as to their adequacy. [16746]
28 Feb 1996 : Column: 553
Sir John Wheeler:
The principal and most common ingredient used by terrorists in Northern Ireland to make bombs has been ammonium nitrate-based agricultural fertiliser. The Explosives Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1972 prohibit fertilisers containing more than 79 per cent. ammonium nitrate by weight except under licence issued by the Secretary of State. Broadly equivalent legislation applies in the Irish Republic.
As with all counter-terrorist legislation in Northern Ireland, the 1972 regulations are kept under review to ensure that they are appropriate to the prevailing situation and can be effectively enforced.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the officials in his Department who have declared a current interest; what requirements are placed on officials to declare relevant interests; in what form records of such declarations are kept; and if he will establish a central register of officials' interests. [16887]
Sir John Wheeler:
Details of current interests declared by officials of the various Northern Ireland civil service departments are held on that individual's personal file. A central list of such interests is not held and to obtain this information from personal files would incur disproportionate costs.
Civil servants faced with a conflict of interest must declare their interest to senior management so that senior management can determine how best to proceed. This requirement is set out in the respective management codes of the home civil service and the Northern Ireland civil service covering pay and conditions.
Staff who disclose relevant interests do so on the understanding that the declaration, like all employment matters, is confidential between them and their employer.
As NICS departmental circumstances are so different I would not propose to establish a central register of officials' interests. Officials will continue to register such interests within their own Department, as necessary.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the costs of the research the Government have commissioned into divorce law in Northern Ireland; and if he will indicate the names of the people and the bodies involved. [17114]
Sir John Wheeler:
It is estimated that the cost of the research project on divorce law in Northern Ireland will be in the region of £35,000. The research team consisted of the following members.
28 Feb 1996 : Column: 554
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ask the Law Commission in future to consult with his Department on every new project with a view to having its research and consultation include Northern Ireland. [17116]
Sir John Wheeler:
I regret that I am unable to do so. The Law Commission's remit under the Law Commission Act 1965 specifically excludes any law which the Northern Ireland Assembly could have power to amend.
Mr. Ciaran White, Lecturer in Law, School of Public Policy, Economics and Law, University of Ulster at Jordanstown.
Ms Monica McWilliams, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Community Sciences.
Ms Claire Archbold, Lecturer in Law at The Queen's University of Belfast.
Dr. Brendan Murtagh, School of Social and Community Science, University of Ulster at Magee.
Mrs. Pat McKee, Senior Computing Officers, School of Public Policy, Economics and Law, University of Ulster at Jordanstown.
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