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Policing
20. Ms Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to increase confidence in policing in Northern Ireland. [20866]
Mr. Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Savidge) today.
Inward Investment
21. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made by the Industrial Development Board to monitor inward investment projects in Northern Ireland to ensure that the aims of grant aid are met. [20867]
Mr. Ingram:
The implementation of all inward investment projects is monitored against key business plan targets including sales forecasts, production plan implementation, financial performance and adequacy funding. The main objectives of this monitoring process are to ensure public funds are utilised for proper purposes,
14 Jan 1998 : Column: 241
that companies comply with conditions of financial assistance and that any problems are identified as early as possible so that corrective action can be taken.
22. Mr. Fabricant:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of intelligence reports relating to the current military preparedness of the IRA to resume violence. [20868]
Mr. Ingram:
I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) today.
24. Maria Eagle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what response the Government are making to the Employment Equality Review by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights. [20870]
Mr. Worthington:
The Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights has provided a major report on employment equality which includes over 160 recommendations. The Government's consideration of the recommendations is well advanced and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already indicated certain recommendations on which the Government propose to take action--clarification of the law on direct recruitment of the long-term unemployed and firmer powers against persistent discriminators. The Government will give a response to the full range of SACHR's proposals in a paper to be published in the early part of this year, and those recommendations which are accepted by the Government will be implemented as appropriate.
25. Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums she intends to spend on major new roads in each of the next three years. [20871]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Our intention is to spend approximately £9 million, £7 million and £7 million in 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01 respectively on major new road projects.
26. Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals she has to develop the fishing industry at Portavogie. [20872]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The Government are committed to assisting continued investment in the fishing industry at Portavogie. Over the next two years the Northern Ireland Fishing Harbour Authority in its draft Development Plan proposes to spend £835,000 covering such projects as a new automatic ice plant and ice-making machinery and slipway repairs. Further investment in the modernisation of the fishing fleet is anticipated in the order of £215,000 under the EU Vessel Modernisation Scheme.
27. Mr. Colman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the use of the Private Finance Initiative in Northern Ireland. [20873]
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Mr. Paul Murphy:
The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is gathering momentum in Northern Ireland. NI Departments and the Northern Ireland Office are committed to maximising Private Finance, and projects with a total capital value in excess of £350 million are currently being considered for PFI solutions.
30. Ms Osborne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what efforts she is making to encourage the involvement of women in public life in Northern Ireland. [20876]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
I would like to assure my hon. Friend that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and her Ministers take every appropriate opportunity presented to them to promote and encourage the involvement of women in public life in Northern Ireland. We do so both publicly, including in this House and at Political Forums in Northern Ireland, and privately at suitable occasions during Northern Ireland engagements.
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the latest estimates by the Registrars General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland, together with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures and in ascending order. [22294]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Mid-year estimates of the population of Northern Ireland broken down by age are available for Health Board areas only. Consequently the population counts for district council areas and parliamentary constituencies are taken from the 1991 Census of Population. For district council areas, the most comparable figures for electoral registration relate to September 1991.
14 Jan 1998 : Column: 243
| Parliamentary constituency (post-1996) | 1991 Census population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent. of population aged 16 years |
|---|---|
| West Tyrone | 57,160 |
| East Antrim | 56,103 |
| East Londonderry | 58,609 |
| Mid Ulster | 55,895 |
| Belfast East | 64,638 |
| Belfast West | 61,647 |
| North Down | 61,846 |
| Belfast South | 69,110 |
| Belfast North | 68,542 |
| Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 61,566 |
| Foyle | 64,643 |
| South Antrim | 68,570 |
| Strangford | 64,641 |
| South Down | 68,368 |
| Upper Bann | 68,424 |
| Newry and Armagh | 68,014 |
| Lagan Valley | 69,787 |
| North Antrim | 71,097 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,158,660 |
14 Jan 1998 : Column: 244
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