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Safari Park
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money his Department has made available to the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for the purchase of a safari park in County Antrim; and if he will make a statement. [21790]
Mr. Ancram: I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
Public Appointments
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 6 March, Official Report, column 721, if he will make it his policy to keep and make available records of the religious breakdown of those public appointments made on the proposal of the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish secretariat at Maryfield; and for what reasons they are not currently made available. [21791]
Sir John Wheeler: I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
Orders in Council
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Orders in Council made in 1995 and 1996, indicating which were taken (a) on the Floor of the House and (b) in Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation, giving in the latter case the names of the hon. Members from Northern Ireland who were nominated to each Committee. [21792]
Sir John Wheeler: I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
Departmental Private Offices
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff and what grades are in the private offices of (i) the Northern Ireland Office and (ii) each of the departmental private offices. [21794]
Sir John Wheeler:
I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
21 Mar 1997 : Column: 932
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on present Government policy in relation to the inclusion of Northern Ireland in the extent of appropriate Bills; and what changes he has made to this policy since he became Secretary of State. [21793]
Sir Patrick Mayhew:
I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the powers of the inquiry set up to investigate the improper copying of restricted Department of Agriculture personnel documents to the media; and if civil servants will be obliged to answer questions about the matter. [21795]
Sir Patrick Mayhew:
I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list those national citizens charters which (a) provide complaints procedures in line with recommendations of the complaints task force and (b) provide financial compensation for users when particular standards have not been met; and if he will publish for each the figures for compensation paid out in each financial year since the charter was implemented;[21796]
(3) if he will list all national citizens charters, indicating which involved consumer consultation in (a) the setting of their performance standards and (b) their preparation;[21801]
(4) how many of the national citizens charters are available (a) in an appropriate form for the visually impaired and (b) in two or more languages other than English; and if he will identify those charters under (a) and (b). [21815]
Sir John Wheeler:
I will write to the hon. Gentleman.
Mr. Nigel Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Northern Ireland social fund discretionary budget will be for 1997-98. [21806]
Mr. Moss:
I am pleased to announce that the social fund gross discretionary budget for 1997-98 will be £40.34 million. £9.76 million will be allocated to grants; £30.48 million to loans and £0.1 million will be held as a contingency reserve. The new allocations represent an increase of £3.63 million over the gross budget set at April 1996.
21 Mar 1997 : Column: 933
This increase in the social fund budget will ensure that more people receive help and that the fund continues to play an important role in targeting resources to those most in need. Details of the individual district budget allocations; together with a note explaining the basis on which they have been made, have been placed in the Library.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of his annual departmental budget was spent in Wales in each of the last five years; and how much that proportion was in (a) 1997 prices and (b) cash terms for each year. [20705]
Mr. Howard:
The available information is contained in the table. Other Home Office expenditure benefiting Wales, for example, crime prevention publicity campaigns and research, cannot be broken down beyond the global spend for England and Wales. In addition, for 1992-93, total Home Office expenditure cannot be broken down at all between England and Wales.
(2) how many citizens charters adopted by national public services (a) have their performance indicators validated and verified by an external body and (b) specify enforceable rights for particular standards of service; and if he will identify those services under (a) and (b);[21803]
| Year | Home Office expenditure in Wales (£000's) | Percentage of total Home office expenditure | Home Office expenditure in Wales (at 1997 prices) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 1993-94 | 203,929 | 3.4 | 218,114 |
| 1994-95 | 214,039 | 3.4 | 224,946 |
| 1995-96 | 230,813 | 3.6 | 236,583 |
| 1996-97(14) | 243,215 | 3.7 | 243,215 |
(14) Estimated.
Citizens Charters
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will develop and implement a citizens charter for (a) the Immigration and Nationality Service and (b) the Prison Service. [21781]
Mr. Howard: I will write to the hon. Member.
Prison Building
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department is he will list (a) the prison building projects for which contracts have been signed, (b) the estimated date of completion and (c) their planned capacity once opened. [21784]
Miss Widdecombe: I will write to the hon. Member.
Prison Ship
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries with which his Department competed to purchase the prison ship Weare. [21785]
Miss Widdecombe:
I will write to the hon. Member.
21 Mar 1997 : Column: 934
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about progress with the planning application for the prison ship in Portland; and what permissions have been granted for its continued mooring there. [21412]
Miss Widdecombe:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 21 March 1997:
Mr. George Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenses have been incurred preparing shore facilities in Dorset for the prison ship Weare; when such expenditure was first authorised; and when such expenditure first began to be incurred.[21576]
Miss Widdecombe:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Hugh Taylor to Mr. George Howarth, dated 21 March 1997:
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the gross public spending on police authorities for each year since 1990-91, in 1996-97 prices. [21812]
Mr. Maclean:
I will write to the hon. Member.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the statutory basis of police authorities and if they (a) admit members of the public to board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under statutory requirement. [21769]
Mr Maclean:
Police authorities, free-standing of local government, were established by provisions in the Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994, now consolidated in the Police Act 1996. They, their committees and sub-committees, continue to be bound by provisions in the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, requiring meetings to be open to the public.
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the planning application for the prison ship in Portland.
Portland Port Limited has leased to the Prison Service a temporary berth until a decision is reached by the Secretary of State for the Environment on the notice of proposed development. A meeting to consider the issues has been arranged by the Department of Environment for 20 March.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your question about expenses incurred preparing shore facilities in Dorset for the prison ship.
I will write to you when the information is available.
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