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Education (Student Loans) Act 1990
Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990, showing the proposed amendments contained in the new Education (Student Loans) Bill 1997. [9802]
Mr. Byers: For the assistance of Members, I have today placed in the Library a copy of a consolidation of the 1990 Act, showing the proposed amendments.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Members' Interests
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have refused to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings with hon. Members to discuss matters relating to interests registered by those Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests.[8073]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) made it clear that, when Members are meeting Ministers or others on topics in which they have an interest, the onus is on the Member to declare that interest, not the Minister to know (paragraph 63 of Cm 2850). It is not practicable for Ministers and officials, amongst their other duties, to vet requests for meetings against the Register of Members' Interests. Should evidence of non-declaration emerge, or contravention of the Resolution of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, the matter would be brought to the attention of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will ensure that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department refuse requests from hon. Members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those Member under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8070]
Mr. Murphy: The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) recognised the value of enabling Members to retain interests outside the House, provided these were properly declared, both in the Register of Members' Interests and on other occasions. Subject to these requirements, and to the rules of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, Members are free to seek meetings with Ministers and officials, who will consider such requests alongside the many other approaches from individuals and organisations concerned to press their own interest or those of others.
Commercial Lobbyists
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met
17 Jul 1997 : Column: 316
commercial lobbyists to discuss matters relating to the business of her Department; and if she will introduce a register of such meetings; [8071]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in response to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn), Official Report, 2 June 1997, column 99, Ministers and officials receive deputations from many groups who are concerned to press their own interests or those of their clients, which Ministers and officials take due care to consider within the wider public interest and Government policy. As it is not practicable to distinguish particular groups as lobbyists, the Departments cannot keep a register of such meetings.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost of granting mandatory rate relief to voluntary sports clubs in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [8008]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The estimated cost of granting mandatory rate relief to sports and recreation facilities in Northern Ireland in terms of rate revenue forgone is approximately £1.3 million in the year 1997-98.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government proposals exist to harmonise rate relief for voluntary sports clubs in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [8007]
Mr. Murphy:
Rate relief for voluntary sports clubs is harmonised throughout Northern Ireland by virtue of the provisions set out in Article 31 of the 1977 Rates (NI) Order as amended by the Article 3 of the 1979 Rates (NI) Amendment Order.
Ms Hodge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) on how many occasions since 1994-95 legislation has been introduced by the department (a) to remove effects of judicial review decisions and (b) to implement them; [7840]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
This information is not readily available in the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments as no central record is kept of applications for judicial reviews.
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Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her oral answer to the hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) of 9 July, Official Report, column 927, on what date the decision was taken to agree to award industrial development grant to the Sean Quinn Group; and which Minister took the decision.[8466]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 14 July 1997]: The decision was taken on 17 April 1997 by the then Minister for Economy and Agriculture.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the contract to give industrial development grant to the Sean Quinn Group was signed.[8467]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 14 July 1997]: On 1 May 1997.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland in 1997-98. [9804]
Marjorie Mowlam:
For 1997-98, the following performance targets have been set for OSNI:
(2) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have attended meetings with organisations representing (i) commercial and (ii) non-commercial interests organised by commercial lobbying firms; and if she will introduce a register of such meetings. [8072]
(2) how many decisions by her Department were challenged by way of judicial review in each Parliamentary session since 1994-95; and if she will list in how many cases (a) the Department's decision was upheld, (b) the court found for the applicant, (c) the Department submitted to the judgment and (d) the Department appealed successfully against the judicial review decision. [7868]
Output
To complete the digital conversion programme by 1999-2000 financial year by converting 1,700 large scale map sheets to digital format.
To survey 50,000 survey units.
To update the digital topographic database with 24,000 survey units of change.
Quality of Service
To complete 95 per cent. of specific customer requests for up to 10 surveyed units of change within three working days of customer request.
To dispatch within seven working days 96 per cent. of customers' orders for small and large scale basic format maps.
Efficiency
To reduce unit costs so that the weighted mean percentage reduction of selected representative activities is 2 per cent.
Financial
To recover from the sale of goods and services 28 per cent. of the total costs incurred by the Agency.
Tradeable Services Projects
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the controls on the levels of selective financial assistance that can be made available to tradeable services projects in Northern Ireland. [9805]
Mr. Ingram:
The controls are the same as for manufacturing projects, except that the ceiling on percentage contribution does not apply. This change allows for the different financial profile of tradable services projects which normally do not involve the substantial expenditure on capital items that is typical of manufacturing projects.
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Mr. Desmond Browne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to publish details of the targets for the Child Support Agency; and if she will make a statement. [9837]
Mr. Worthington:
The Child Support Agency will publish its 1997-98 Business Plan and Strategic Plan 1997-2000 today. Copies will be placed in the Library.
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