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Departmental Pay
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the lowest hourly rate paid by her Department to (a) full-time employees, (b) part-time employees, (c) persons employed under personal contract and (d) persons employed by firms undertaking contracted-out services for central government offices, defining the job title in each case. [18106]
Mr. Paul Murphy [holding answer 2 December 1997]: For the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments, the information is as follows:
| Hourly rate (£) | Job title | |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | 3.27 | Administrative Assistant |
| (b) | 3.27 | Part-time Administrative Assistant |
| (c) | 3.42 | Typist |
| (d) | (17)-- | - |
(17) Information is not readily available.
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Republic of Ireland
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 25 July 1997, Official Report, column 773, on the Irish Government's territorial claim to Northern Ireland, what steps her Department has taken subsequently to establish confidence-building measures in respect of the Irish constitutional claim to Northern Ireland. [18934]
Marjorie Mowlam: Constitutional issues have been discussed by the two Governments in meetings as part of the talks process. The Government have always made clear their view that there is a need for amendments to relevant constitutional legislation, reflecting the widespread support which exists for the consent principle in all its aspects.
The Government remain of the view, expressed by the Prime Minister in his speech in Northern Ireland on 16 May, that changes to the Irish constitution to reflect the principle of consent would be a helpful confidence-building step in advance of any settlement.
Miss Mildred McIlveen
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make it her policy to permit Miss Mildred McIlveen to purchase her Housing Executive flat at 24c Ardgeehan Gardens, Bangor; and if she will make a statement on long term residency and purchase rules. [18935]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The House Sales Scheme operated by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive broadly mirrors the Right to Buy scheme operated by housing authorities in England and Wales. Its operation is a matter for the Executive's Chief Executive and it would be improper for me to intervene. The Chief Executive informs me that the period of residency in Executive or other social housing determines the percentage discount that a tenant may qualify for, against the valuation price of the house. The basic rules for purchase are that, with certain exceptions, tenants may purchase the dwelling they are living in. The exceptions are sheltered dwellings and those dwellings considered suitable for the elderly, the rationale being that there is constant demand for these properties and it is likely to increase. In the case of dwellings considered suitable for the elderly, such dwellings are single storey properties and ground floor accommodation with no more than two bedrooms and which have been let to, or are for, someone over age 60. Where a dwelling was let to someone over 60 at the time
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when the tenancy began, the successor in title may not buy the dwelling. If, in very exceptional circumstances, a dwelling considered suitable for the elderly is let to someone less than age 60, the house is not exempted from the House Sales Scheme.
The Chief Executive of the Housing Executive has advised me that there are no plans to change the House Sales Scheme as it applies to exempted properties.
Mr. McGrady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if she will list the telecommunications masts which have been erected without the benefit of planning permission due to permitted development rights; [18129]
(3) how many applications for planning permission for telecommunications masts have been made to each of the divisional planning offices since 1 April; what applications were approved; what are the locations of these masts; and how many have been erected. [18196]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. T. W. Stewart. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
(2) on how many occasions the Department of the Environment Planning Service has withdrawn permitted development rights in respect of the erection of telecommunications masts; and what were the locations of these masts; [18130]
| Company name | Divisional Planning Office | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | Craigavon | Ballymena | Downpatrick | Omagh | Londonderry | |
| Cabletel | 1(0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vodafone | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 |
| Orange PCS | 0 | 4(0) | 11(7) | 7(0) | 9(4) | 12(5) |
| Millennium Communications | 0 | 1(1) | 1(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Telecom Securior Radio | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 |
| Castle Transmission | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 3(2) |
| Teleport (NI) Ltd. | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Others | 5(2) | 1(1) | 2(2) | 3(3) | 1(1) | 1(1) |
| Total | 6(2) | 7(3) | 16(11) | 10(3) | 17(8) | 16(8) |
Figures refer to planning applications for all types of telecommunications equipment.
( ) Refer to numbers approved.
I do hope this is helpful.
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Departmental Accounting Systems (Payment)
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list each of the functions relating to payment for goods or services supplied for which her Department is responsible indicating the management systems purchased, all sub-contractors involved in the work, co-operative arrangements with other Departments; and the costs of the systems and processes in the last year for which figures are available. [12555]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Departments of Agriculture, of Economic Development, of Environment and Health and of Social Services use accounts systems based on Oracle Financials software. All these Departments use ICL CFM as sub-contractors and have a basic overall maintenance contract costing around £830,000. The Department of Health and Social Services in addition employed Deloitte Touche and the Helm Corporation in the implementation of the system.
The Department of Education use McDonnell Douglas "Reality" system operating CAFIS software with an annual maintenance cost of £14,000.
The Department of Finance and Personnel use IFMIS Financial System maintained by McDonnell Douglas at a cost of £11,000.
The Northern Ireland Office use the Integra Accounting Package, Sage Sovereign Accruals Package from Microcare (NI) Ltd, a Selima Purchase Ledger from Sanderson and a package where payments are made via payable order, BACS or occasionally a tele-banking facility.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what relief from taxation was allowed to teachers in 1995-96 in respect of claims for (a) books and (b) computer software. [18558]
Dawn Primarolo
[holding answer 1 December 1997]: Teachers may claim a deduction for income tax purposes for books and computer software if these expenses are incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of the duties of their employment. Although Tax Offices establish what deductions are valid in relation to the individual's employment, information on the numbers and amounts claimed for particular types of employment is not routinely collected. The amount of deductions claimed for particular items by teachers is not, therefore, available.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of tax relief was claimed by teachers in 1995-96 for professional association fees. [18557]
Dawn Primarole
[holding answer 1 December 1997]: Teachers may claim a deduction for income tax purposes for annual subscriptions paid to certain approved professional bodies or learned societies, where the body's activities are relevant to the duties of their employment. Although the Tax Offices establish that any deductions are valid in relation to the individual's employment, information on the numbers and amounts claimed for
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particular types of employment is not routinely collected. The amount of deductions claimed by teachers is, therefore, not available.
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