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NORTHERN IRELAND
Ethnic Minorities
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women from ethnic minorities are employed by his Department and its agencies; at what grade; and what measures he has taken to encourage the (a) recruitment, (b) employment and (c) promotion of women from ethnic minorities within his Department and its agencies. [39894]
Sir John Wheeler: Staff of the Northern Ireland Office (London) are monitored through the provision of information is voluntary.
Responses show that the following women from ethnic minorities are currently employed:
Equal opportunities awareness training is given to all staff.
It is not possible to provide the information requested in respect of the Northern Ireland civil service. The Race Relations Act 1976 does not apply to Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland civil service does not undertake ethnic monitoring of staff. However, the NICS equal opportunities policy embraces all staff and applicants for employment, including those who are members of ethnic minority groups.
Mrs. Fyfe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will investigate all community representatives' complaints about the conduct of the RUC in recent weeks. [39951]
Sir John Wheeler:
Any complaints made by community representatives to my right hon. and learned Friend about the alleged conduct of the RUC are carefully examined and treated by the most appropriate method,
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according to the nature of the complaints. Those alleging misconduct by individual officers are referred to the RUC complaints and discipline branch for investigation under the oversight of the Independent Commission for Police Complaints. Those which concern police operational policies are referred to the Chief Constable of the RUC for advice. In all cases, a reply is issued from Government.
Mrs. Fyfe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what intimations of resignation from the RUC he has been informed about in recent weeks because of policy on the control of marches; and what action has been taken. [39968]
Sir John Wheeler:
The Royal Ulster Constabulary's personnel branch is not aware of any resignations, or intimations of same, as a result of policy on the control of marches.
Dr. Hendron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Police Authority for Northern Ireland's investigations into the involvement of one of its members in a blockade at Cookstown in the period 5 to 11 July. [39906]
Sir John Wheeler:
This is a matter for the Police Authority for Northern Ireland. I am advised that the authority held a special meeting on 30 July at the request of a member against whom allegations had appeared in the press. A report was presented to the authority and the member concerned gave an account of his actions. The authority accepted his account of the events at issue and agreed that no further action was necessary. The authority now regards the matter as being closed.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sets of (a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in Northern Ireland in each year since 1990; how many maternities there were in each year; and how many multiple births in each category were conceived as a result of (i) in vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception. [39970]
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Mr. Moss:
The information requested is set out in the table.
The Northern Ireland Office has an equal opportunities policy of non-discrimination in recruitment and promotion on the grounds of race, sex, disability or political/religious beliefs.
Grade 7: One
Executive Officer: Five
Administrative Officer: Two
Personal Secretary: One
Typist: Four
Administrative Assistant: Two.
| Type | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | (34)1995 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Set of: | ||||||
| (a) twins | 267 | 315 | 258 | 308 | 303 | 324 |
| (b) triplets | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 |
| (c) quadruplets | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 |
| (d) quintuplets | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| (e) sextuplets | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| IVF (35) | ||||||
| (i) twins | 12 | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| (ii) triplets | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| GIFT (36) | ||||||
| Maternities | 26,338 | 26,058 | 25,425 | 24,729 | 24,119 | 23,663 |
(34) Provisional.
(35) These figures are as result of IVF by year of conception.
(36) Gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT) was available in Northern Ireland only in 1986 and 1987.
n/a = not available.
Mr. Lindsay Robb
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 23 July, Official Report, column 254, what payments have been made by the RUC to Mr. Lindsay Robb other than those made under the witness protection scheme; and on what dates. [40140]
Sir John Wheeler: No payment has been made to Lindsay Robb out of RUC expenditure, but as stated in my answer of 23 July, he received taxpayer-funded financial assistance under the witness protection scheme.
Criminal Cases Review Commission
Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement on the eligibility of people from Northern Ireland to be members of the Northern Ireland Criminal Cases Review Commission; [40307]
- (2) if he will make a statement on progress towards the establishment of a Northern Ireland Criminal Cases Review Commission; [40305]
(3) what will be the (a) functions and (b) powers and remit of a Criminal Cases Review Commission in Northern Ireland. [40306]
Sir John Wheeler: A Criminal Cases Review Commission is being established to investigate alleged miscarriages of justice and, if necessary, to refer cases back to the Court of Appeal. Its remit will cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who are currently responsible for considering such cases, will cease to do so once the commission is established.
The commission is a statutory body whose functions, powers and remit are set out in the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. It will comprise a chairman and a minimum of 10 board members. At least one third of the members must be legally qualified, whilst at least two thirds must have previous experience of the criminal justice system. One member, at least, must have knowledge or experience of the Northern Ireland criminal justice system. Subject to these provisions, selection is through open competition and is in accordance with the recommendations of the
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Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life. Accordingly, advertisements for the recruitment of members appeared in the press in May, including the three Northern Ireland daily newspapers.
The selection process is under way and it is expected that the commission will begin work early in 1997.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of state for Northern Ireland what was (a) the original distance between the entrances to 341 and 342 Rathfriland road, Dromara submitted to and passed by the Department of the Environment in 1988, (b) the distance inthe amended plan accepted by the Department and (c) the actual distance now the work has been completed and passed by the Department. [40380]
Sir John Wheeler:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Planning Service under its chief executive, Mr Wesley Steward. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from W. D. Glass to Rev. Martin Smyth, dated 14 October 1996:
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is his policy in relation to periods of temporary release of unescorted high-risk prisoners from top security gaols; when the policy was last reviewed; and if he will make a statement; [40542]
Sir John Wheeler:
This is a matter for the Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to reply.
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Mr Moss has asked me to reply, in the absence on annual leave of Mr. T W Stewart, Chief Executive of the Planning Service, to your Question about the approved and actual distances between the entrances to Nos. 341 Rathfriland Road, Dromara.
I would respond to the three specific points raised in your Question as follows:
(a) The distance between the entrances of 341 and 342 Rathfriland Road, Dromara, as submitted and approved under planning application Q/88/0208 in 19988 was 16 metres.
(b) The distance between the entrances as approved in the amended application Q/89/013 was 4 metres.
(c) The actual distance between the entrances as constructed is 10.5 metres.
All of the above dimensions are measured between the centre-line of the two accesses.
(2) what policy is followed when an unescorted high-risk prisoner is given temporary release in relation to procedures for informing airports to be used by the prisoner and the police force in the area into which he will be travelling; and if he will make a statement. [40543]
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