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Deregulation
6. Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to promote further deregulation measures in the Province. [26380]
Sir John Wheeler: I shall do so through the draft Deregulation and Contracting Out (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, which the House debated yesterday, and six specific deregulatory amendments will be made to Northern Ireland legislation.
Mr. Steen: As deregulation has not, unfortunately, been a great success in Great Britain--given that 7,839 statutory instruments have been passed in the past two years and only a few hundred have been repealed, although we have a £1.3 million task force of 43 staff in the Deputy Prime Minister's office, and that only 24 orders have come out of the Select Committee on Deregulation--why does the Minister think that we should impose the same disadvantages that Great Britain has had on Northern Ireland?
Sir John Wheeler: My hon. Friend took a distinguished part in the debate late last night on the draft Deregulation and Contracting Out (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 which, as the House knows, was passed shortly before midnight. He expressed himself in similar terms during that debate and I shall ensure that my right hon. and hon. Friends in Great Britain are made aware of his interest and concerns. I can assure him that in Northern Ireland we shall proceed with all due dispatch to ensure that our contracting-out and deregulatory arrangements work as efficiently and effectively as they can.
Sir James Molyneaux: As one who is more optimistic than the hon. Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen), may I make a point to the Minister? Given the success and the ability demonstrated by the district councils in Northern Ireland in promoting in-house tendering, will the Minister make use of last night's Order in Council and enable councils to compete with private suppliers from the private sector?
Sir John Wheeler: As the right hon. Gentleman will know, last night's order will not compel, but will enable councils and other bodies to contract out and to compete for tendering. I hope that they will do so, because the evidence is that millions of pounds have been saved in Northern Ireland--money that can be better used for the services that people want. I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman's support will be made widely known in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Dowd: I am not sure whether the Minister found the contribution by the hon. Member for South Hams in last night's debate quite as positive as he now claims. Still, how does he intend to implement the considerable powers given to him and, more particularly, given to his civil servants under articles 9 and 10 of the order, to ensure that full consultation with all affected by any changes occurs before decisions are taken? Furthermore, how will he ensure that the powers are not abused for purely administrative convenience?
Sir John Wheeler: The powers agreed last night will in part be exercised by senior civil servants under the general policy guidance of Ministers responsible for Northern Ireland Departments. It will be inherent in the process of discharging those powers that those with a necessary and relevant interest in any subject will be properly consulted.
Transport Links
7. Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will institute a review of transport links between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. [26381]
Mr. Moss: In view of the continued success of commercial transport operators and the growth in traffic between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, I do not believe that there are any grounds for a review at this time. In any event, shipping and air services between Northern Ireland and Great Britain are a matter for the Department of Transport.
Mr. Foulkes: I am grateful. Will the Minister, however, confirm that the route from Cairnryan and Stranraer to Larne remains, in the thinking of the Government and of the European Union, one of the principal routes between Great Britain and the island of Ireland? In order to ensure that it does, will he say what guarantees he has obtained so that after rail privatisation the link from the west coast main line to Stranraer will continue to operate a service at least as frequent as, and preferably better than, the current one?
Mr. Moss: I am happy to confirm that the Government consider the sea link between the ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan and Northern Ireland to be vital to the economy of Northern Ireland. The steady increase in freight and passenger traffic, combined with the introduction by operators of improved vessels and infrastructure, point to the viability of these operations.
The privatisation of the rail link is a matter for the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Transport; but I understand that a minimum service requirement for the proposed line has been put out to consultation.
Mr. Beggs:
Can the Minister confirm that the A8 Larne to Belfast road is part of a recognised Euro-route? Does he agree that total funding for the roads programme in Northern Ireland has been inadequate for years? Does he recognise that cancelling the proposed dualling extension for the A8 has caused considerable concern? When reviewing proposals for future road development in Northern Ireland, will he give consideration to the increased traffic that will travel the A8 owing to the new P and O fast ferry service due to come into operation in June? Will he therefore seek to reinstate the dualling extension in the Northern Ireland's roads programme?
Mr. Moss:
I confirm that the A8 is indeed a trans-European network route, and that funds for road improvement are not sufficient to meet the ever-increasing demand. We have repositioned schemes in the programme this year to reflect new priorities--especially the traffic congestion on the west link in Belfast. I am happy to reiterate, however, that the Government's long-term intention remains to dual the A8, in stages spread over the six to 15-year major roads programme. That may be subject to change if traffic volumes on the A8 change significantly. In any case, investment can be considered for minor improvements to ease congestion, eliminate delays and deal with aspects of road safety.
8. Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to restructure the Royal Ulster Constabulary. [26382]
Sir John Wheeler:
My right hon. and learned Friend yesterday published a White Paper detailing proposals to
Mr. Corbyn:
Does the Minister concede that the report itself states that there are serious differences between the confidence felt in the police by the nationalist and loyalist communities in Northern Ireland? Full restructuring should take place as a matter of urgency, including an examination of recruitment methods and a change in the name of the Northern Ireland police force, which should no longer be known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary. That will inspire greater confidence in the police among the nationalist community.
Sir John Wheeler:
The White Paper was about improving the tripartite structure. Some aspects of the hon. Gentleman's question relate, perhaps, to the fundamental review of policing that will take place in the summer, but there is a strong desire to see recruitment into the Royal Ulster Constabulary reflect the character of the population as a whole, and there is some sign of a welcome improvement. That is the objective of the police authority and chief constable.
Sir John Cope:
Although I welcome my right hon. Friend's suggestions, having personal knowledge of the RUC, I ask him to be most cautious to do nothing that would damage the morale of the RUC, as that would be unwise and dangerous, particularly while the terrorists are fully active and armed, as they are at present. Does not the maintenance of the rule of law over many years owe much to the bravery, skill and restraint of the RUC?
Sir John Wheeler:
My right hon. Friend is right to point to the fact that we do not have a ceasefire in Northern Ireland. The provisional IRA remains a serious and formidable threat, and the officers of the RUC are on the front line. We should not forget that. Nor should we forget that every test of public opinion in Northern Ireland shows that the RUC is increasingly seen as an effective police service, responding to the needs of the public, which is what it wishes to do.
Mr. Worthington:
We welcome yesterday's White Paper on policing, but does it not fudge on one central issue? Will not the police authority have the independent strength that it needs only when representatives of the local authorities, professions, trade unions and industry are chosen by the bodies themselves, and when it is not a quango selected by the Secretary of State?
Sir John Wheeler:
The Government are open minded about the way in which members of the police authority find their places on that body. The appointments method currently employed at least has the virtue that it enables my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State to select people from all parts of the community in Northern Ireland and to ensure that the police authority is as fairly balanced and representative as possible. For the future, however, there may be other ways of securing people to the membership of the authority which reflects some of the democratic systems in Northern Ireland, or how they might emerge. It is a matter on which the Government's mind is open.
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