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Internet
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will ensure that the Northern Ireland Office's web site on the Internet has adequate links to and from the web site of the Central Office of Information; and if she will make a statement. [11005]
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Mr. Murphy:
My Department is fully committed to using the potential of the Internet as an international communications medium and as an aid to open government. The NIO web site has more than 400 pages of information, regularly updated, on all political developments, security, crime, policing and community relations in Northern Ireland and including all press releases issued. In the period January to July 1997, visits to the site have increased from 1,187 to 25,353 per month.
A re-design now nearing completion will enhance content, visual appeal, user friendliness and links to and from other sites both within and outside Government, including the CCTA open government site and through it the Central Office of Information.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list each increase in spending in excess of £50,000 by sub-heading in the Northern Ireland estimates, which she has approved. [11468]
Mr. Murphy:
The table lists the specific areas where an increase in spending in excess of £50,000 has been approved in the 1997-98 Northern Ireland main estimates:
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Plastic Baton Rounds
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many plastic baton rounds were fired between 1 and 14 July in (a) 1996 and (b) 1997; and if she will make a statement [11067]
Mr. Ingram: In response to the widespread and serious public disorder during these periods, the number of plastic baton rounds fired between 1 and 14 July 1996 was 8,098 and in the same period in 1997 was 2,510, although the figures for 1997 may be subject to adjustment.
Public Appointments
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the reasons for the non-reappointment of Geraldine Donaghy to the Southern health and social services board; and if she will review the decision. [11494]
Mr. Ingram:
Ms Donaghy's four-year period of appointment as non-executive director of the Southern health and social services board expired on 31 March 1997. In reviewing the vacancies in the Southern health and social services board, the Department of Health and Social Services decided to consider the merits of other candidates before making its recommendation to the then health Minister, the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire,
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North-East (Mr. Moss). This procedure is consistent with the Commissioner for Public Appointments code of practice.
On becoming Minister with responsibility for the Department of Health and Social Services, my hon. Friend the Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) was presented with a number of candidates rated as suitable for appointment by a panel which included an independent member, constituted under guidelines issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The decision was based on the merits of these individual candidates and there was no reason to review this decision.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the public appointments procedure in Northern Ireland in respect of nominations from the voluntary and community sector to health and social services boards. [11495]
Mr. Ingram:
There is no statutory requirement that the Department of Health and Social Services seek nominations from the voluntary and community sector for appointments to health and social services boards. Appointment opportunities within DHSS bodies are advertised openly and anyone is free to self-nominate and be considered for such appointments. This is in line with the DHSS procedures for public appointments, which follow the Commissioner for Public Appointments' code of practice.
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