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Mr. McGrady: I thank the Minister for his additional information. Is he saying categorically that the peace funds were additional to those that would have been required and provided in the budget had peace not broken out?
Mr. Ancram: In respect of those that I control--and I understand that it was the same for my colleagues--it was made clear to us that they were additional funds and that we should find projects on which they could be spent with that in mind. If they were put into mainstream projects, those mainstream projects could be at severe risk if the security position changed. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will pass the message back to the community that peace has a dividend and that the ending of peace has a down side.
Several hon. Members mentioned electricity, including the hon. Member for South Down. We share electricity consumers' disappointment that at present, for a variety of reasons, tariffs are higher in Northern Ireland than in other regions of the United Kingdom. The Government no longer have a role in determining or approving electricity tariffs. The regulation of the privately owned industry is now the responsibility of the independent Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland.
Action is being taken on a number of fronts to address the problem of higher Northern Ireland electricity prices. In particular, I remind the House--as I have spoken about it in a previous debate--of the announcement on12 March of £15 million in Government support for electricity consumers. That has enabled the average increase in electricity prices for the current year to be reduced by 3 per cent., to what, in effect, is below the rate of inflation. I hope that hon. Members will realise that that demonstrates the Government's concern.
The hon. Member for South Down made another assertion that requires a brief comment from me. He thought that the Industrial Development Board and the Local Enterprise Development Unit were not providing equity in the distribution of employment-creating projects throughout Northern Ireland. I have heard that before. The IDB now has a target of locating 75 per cent. of all new inward investment in areas of social need. It can give higher rates of grant to companies that go to those areas. The same is true of LEDU, which is making special efforts to concentrate resources and the effort and time of officials in those areas. Those are important signs of our determination to ensure that people in all parts of Northern Ireland benefit from the opportunities that we hope will continue to develop in an atmosphere of peace.
I should point out that, of 17 inward investment announcements made by the IDB since September 1994, three have been in Londonderry, two in Enniskillen, two in west Belfast and one in Newry. Those are all areas of special need. That demonstrates the importance that we place on meeting those particular needs.
The hon. Member for Barnsley, Central mentioned the thorny question of Action for Community Employment. I understand the concerns expressed about the reductions in that programme, which was introduced when unemployment was rising rapidly. Although I do not deny for a moment that unemployment remains a major problem, there are signs of improvement--I gave the House the figures. Unfilled vacancies are at record levels, with more than 7,000 on the books of the Employment Service. Our response was to refocus the use of resources, and that is the reason for the decisions that were taken. As the hon. Gentleman mentioned, my noble FriendLady Denton announced a £2 million package of transitional measures, to allow the schemes to manage the reduction in their activities.
The hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow(Dr. Godman) went slightly beyond the terms of the motion in mentioning a number of matters, including UK fishing vessel decommissioning schemes. Detailed answers can be made available to the hon. Gentleman, and I shall make sure that that is done. My noble Friend recently welcomed the continuation of the decommissioning scheme, which will operate this year in
the same way as last year, although the eligibility criteria have been widened by comparison with the scheme in the United Kingdom in 1995. Among the changes are that nephrops are now eligible, and the scheme will be open to more vessels by the lowering of the number of eligible days fished from 100 to 75 and the removal of the current restriction on licence type.
The hon. Gentleman made a special plea on ferries.I believe that his concern was directed more at Campbeltown and that part of Argyll than at Northern Ireland, but I shall draw that matter to the attention of my noble Friend Lady Denton and of my hon. Friend the Minister for Railways and Roads. I shall not reply in this debate.
Mr. Hume:
May I reiterate, in support of the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman), that a ferry between Scotland and Northern Ireland is the subject of widespread interest in Northern Ireland?
Mr. Ancram:
I am not sure whether the right hon. Gentleman was present when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow was speaking, but he was honest to say that a ferry would be of great assistance to that part of Argyll.
The hon. Member for East Londonderry raised the question of Benelux in his constituency. I appreciate the concern that exists as a result of what has happened to that company. The IDB has been maintaining close contact with Benelux here and in Hong Kong, and the board has also made contact with a number of potential purchasers. Some have expressed interest, but none has yet entered substantive discussions. The IDB will continue to maintain those contacts.
I hope that I have dealt with most of the points that were raised. If not, I shall as usual write to hon. Members with full answers.
I shall finish with a point that was raised by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State in replying to the opening remarks of the right hon. Member for Lagan Valley, when he spoke about the importance of peace and political stability to the future well-being of Northern Ireland. We all understand that, whatever else we talk about in terms of the quality of life, prosperity and opportunity, at the end of the day those will be underpinned only by political stability and peace. There is not simply the risk that peace dividend reallocations will have to be recovered from the economic and social programmes and restored to the law and order budget. Peace and political progress are critical to the confidence that is the key to industrial and commercial investment and to the growth of industries in Northern Ireland--not least tourism. I cannot over-emphasise the importance of their achievement.
Anyone who claims to have any regard for the economic and social well-being of the people in Northern Ireland, particularly those who have suffered far too long from unemployment, is under the most compelling obligation to bring violence to an end, and for good. Anything else is hypocrisy and a cynical and cruel disservice to the community. Now is the time for dialogue to displace violence and threats of violence. No one can credibly claim that the opportunity for dialogue is being unreasonably withheld. There is a challenge to all
politicians in Northern Ireland and to the Government. We are willing to undertake that challenge on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland. I look to the politicians of Northern Ireland to follow us in that.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved,
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Michael Morris):
I have to announce that Madam Speaker has selected the amendment in the name of the Prime Minister.
Mr. Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):
I beg to move,
On Wednesday, it will be eight weeks since a bombshell was dropped in the House by two Ministers. During that period, a great industry has been devastated and that has already cost thousands of jobs, brought businesses to the brink of bankruptcy and driven many innocent people to despair. The long-term implications for the rural economy have still to be assessed.
My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I have consistently refused to indulge in recriminations about the original bovine spongiform encephalopathy outbreak. It will take time to investigate the full saga--why the outbreak happened in the UK on the scale that it did, why it has continued so long and who may have been responsible for the way in which the disease spread. Time is not on our side. Every day that goes by, with the beef sector still virtually paralysed, not only costs large sums of money but makes full recovery even less likely.
Before I deal with the scheme in detail, I shall dispose of one illusion. No doubt, Euro-sceptic Members will use the debate on Wednesday and Thursday to rail against other EU member states--especially the German and French Governments, now Conservative, with whom the Prime Minister claims to have a special relationship.I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will use that relationship to good effect when President Chirac visits Britain.
That this House takes note of the Northern Ireland Economic Council's Report No. 118, February 1996.
6.55 pm
That this House expresses its concern at the continuing delay and confusion arising from the Government's cattle disposal scheme.
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