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Government Training Centres
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Government training centres have (a) achieved and (b) not been awarded the job skills quality management status. [4240]
Mr. Worthington: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 19 June 1997:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, to reply to your question about the number of Training Centres which have reached the standards required under the Jobskills Quality Management System (JQMS).
There are ten Training Centres in Northern Ireland and to date three, Dundonald, Lisburn and Omagh, have been awarded JQMS. The remaining Centres at Ballymena, Craigavon, Enniskillen, Felden, Maydown, Newry and Springtown are on line to achieve JQMS before 31 December 1997 in line with a staged implementation of this new standard.
I hope you find this information helpful.
Southern Area Health Board Headquarters
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals there are for the future use of the former headquarters of the Southern Area Health Board at Carn, Craigavon; and if she will make a statement. [4241]
Mr. Worthington: The former Southern Health and Social Services Board Headquarters at 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Portadown was vacated and became surplus to requirements at the end of 1996. In accordance with Government procedures for the disposal of surplus land and property, the site and the portable buildings were advertised for sale on the open market in January 1997. A sale was agreed and the legal formalities were concluded on 21 March 1997.
Health Centres
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the names of health centres (a) owned by the Southern Area Health Board, (b) for which the Southern Area Health Board contributes a loan towards capital expenditure and (c) for which the Southern Area Health Board contributed a grant towards capital expenditure. [4245]
Mr. Worthington: Health Centres are either in the ownership of the Department of Health and Social Services or the relevant Health and Social Services Trust. Details are provided in the table. The Southern Health and Social Services Board does not contribute loans or grants towards the capital expenditure of any health centre. At present a board may only provide financial support in relation to Health Centre premises which have been sold to general medical practitioners.
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Arts Policy
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she plans to review policy on the arts; and if she will make a statement. [4418]
Mr. Worthington: I have no plans at present for a review of arts policy in Northern Ireland. However, in conjunction with the Arts Council, I wish to promote the widest possible access to the arts, particularly for young people, and to increase the impact of the cultural sector on the economy.
Council for Voluntary Action
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to meet representatives of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action; and if she will make a statement. [4419]
Marjorie Mowlam: I met representatives of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action on Friday 20 June when I opened their annual conference in Belfast.
Targeting Social Need Policy
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to review the Targeting Social Need policy; and if she will make a statement. [4422]
Mr. Worthington: It is anticipated that recommendations on Targeting Social Need will be included in the forthcoming report by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights on employment equality in Northern Ireland. The Government will give the fullest consideration to the Commission's recommendations, including its implications for the Targeting Social Need initiative.
Unemployment
Dr. Godman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she plans to issue a statement concerning the consultation on long-term unemployment; and if she will make a statement. [4423]
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 477
Mr. Worthington:
Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter form Ian Walters to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 24 June 1997:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, to reply to your question about the current consultation on long-term unemployment in Northern Ireland.
The initial stage of the consultation process has been completed with the publication of a consultative document and a series of public seminars across Northern Ireland. Those attending the seminars had the chance to discuss long-term unemployment with Agency officials and indeed with each other. In addition, we have received over 80 written submissions on the document and are currently in the process of reviewing each of them.
As we continue the review we will take full account of the Government's Welfare to Work proposals and the priority attached to them.
Courts (Essex)
Mr. Burns: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of the county court in Chelmsford. [4897]
Mr. Hoon: The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Simon Burns, dated 24 June 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the future of Chelmsford County Court.
I can confirm that there are no plans to move or close Chelmsford County Court.
Mr. Hoon: The Lord Chancellor is currently considering a proposal to close the Braintree and Bishop Stortford County Courts. If these courts are closed, some work previously dealt with at the Braintree court might be dealt with in Chelmsford.
Responsibility for the civil and higher criminal courts network falls to the Court Service which must constantly monitor and review the viability of its resources in the light of changing business needs and workload trends. Decisions on any proposals for change will be made by the Lord Chancellor taking account of all the relevant factors.
Turning to the question of magistrates' courts in Essex, there are no current plans for closures in the area. Essex Magistrates' Courts Committee has, however, issued a consultation paper setting out a number of options for the reorganisation of petty sessional divisions in the County. The consultation period closes on 30 June. One of these
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options is that the current Chelmsford and Maldon and Witham PSDs should be amalgamated, together with some or all of the Braintree and Halstead and Brentwood PSDs, into a single PSD.
The MCC has indicated that this new PSD could be served by one courthouse to be centred at Chelmsford or possibly at Witham.
Decisions concerning the future and number of magistrates' courts in their area are for the relevant MCC to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. In the absence of an appeal, however, the Lord Chancellor plays no part in the process.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to move the (a) county court and (b) magistrates' court from Chelmsford to elsewhere in Essex, indicating the place; and if he will make a statement. [4895]
Mr. Hoon:
I have no proposals to move either the county court or the magistrates' court from Chelmsford.
Responsibility for the civil and higher criminal courts network falls to the Court Service which must constantly monitor and review the viability of its resources in the light of changing business needs and workload trends. Decisions on any proposals for change will be made by the Lord Chancellor taking account of all the relevant factors.
Decisions concerning the future and number of magistrates' courts in its area are for the relevant MCC to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the lord chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. In the absence of an appeal, however, the Lord Chancellor plays no part in the process.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of the magistrates' court in Chelmsford. [4896]
Mr. Hoon:
I have no proposals to move either the county court or the magistrates' court from Chelmsford. Decisions concerning the future and number of magistrates' court in its area are for the relevant MCC to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. In the absence of an appeal, however, the Lord Chancellor plays no part in the process.
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